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# 







The Church of the' Catacombs. 


See pag-; 38 




FLAVIA; 


OB, 


“LOYAL UNTO THE END.” 


^ ®ale of tl^c ®^iirclj in Saonb Centurg. 


By EMMA LESLIE, 

Author of Constanoia’s Household,” “ Glaucia,” etc. 


6 " 


FOUR I L- LUSTRATIONS- 


F ■ 


J 

NEW YORK: 

NELSON & PHILLIPS. 

CINCINNATI : HITCHCOCK & WALDEN. 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL DEPARTMENT. 

hr'. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S75, by 
NELSON 8c PHILLIPS, 
in tho Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 


PREFACE. 


I N iTiy former story, Glaucia,” I attempted 
to give some idea of the difficulties Chris- 
tianity had to contend against in the manners 
and customs, modes of thought and philosophy, 
of the age in which it was introduced. 

In the present volume I have taken my 
readers forward a hundred years — years in 
which the Gospel had made such rapid strides 
that from the shores of India and deserts of 
Arabia to the confines of Germany and the 
shores of Britain Christian Churches had been 
planted, and faithful men had, in many of them, 
sealed their testimony with their blood, for the 
faith delivered to their keeping. 

Various causes had brought about this won- 
derful result. Many of the Roman legionaries 
had learned to serve Christ as well as the 
emperor ; and these, with the workmen laboring 


6 


Preface. 


at their world-renowned roads and bridges, car- 
ried the good tidings that there was a God for 
the poor and oppressed to every province in the 
empire. The character, too, of the Christians 
for kindness and benevolence, in an age of in- 
tense selfishness, made them much talked of, 
and brought many converts into the Church ; 
but above all, the translations of the writings of 
the apostles into the popular languages of the 
people, and that every one who learned to believe 
in Christ in those days sought to bring others 
to the same knowledge, helped forward this 
great work, and this was the main cause of the 
numerous persecutions and vain attempts made 
to crush the new religion. 

According to the Roman law, every citizen 
was allowed to exercise his own judgment in 
matters of faith, provided he did not speak 
against the 4#gligion of the State, for there ex- 
isted such a close connection between the Gov- 
ernment and religion of Rome that to attempt 
to undermine one was to be guilty of treason 
against the other. The office of emperor and 
supreme pontiff of Jupiter were identified with 
each other; the emperors, therefore, in their 


Preface. 


7 


characters of high priests, were bound to support 
the worship of the gods. Here, then, the 
command of the Lord Jesus, '' Preach the Gos- 
pel to every creature,” and the laws of man, 
were at issue ; but the Church did not hesitate 
which to obey, and hence the trouble and per- 
secution that so often came upon them. 

In selecting the reign of Marcus Aurelius as 
the date of my second story, I have purpose- 
ly avoided the sickening and heart-rending 
tragedies enacted under the Domitian, Decian, 
and Diocletian persecutions. Some have fixed 
the number of these as ten, under the various 
pagan emperors ; but if those only are taken 
which were severe and general throughout the 
Roman empire, then the number is less than 
this ; but if those which were merely local, and 
confined to one or two provinces at the time, are 
to be included, then they greatly ^ceeded this. 

Under the mild and gentle Marcus Aurelius 
the prefects of the different provinces were 
doubtless more to blame than the emperor, and 
these were urged — often driven — to their cruel 
work by the infuriated mobs who echoed the 
words and threats of the priests of Jupiter. 


8 


Preface. 


To the authorities quoted in Glaucia,” as 
well as some few others, I am indebted for the 
facts embodied in this story of ‘‘ Flavia.” To 
one of these I will refer, lest my readers should 
think I have painted the soldiers as too brutal 
for even those days. It is stated as a fact in 
the account of Polycarp’s arrest, that two chil- 
dren of the village were seized and asked where 
the aged bishop was living, and one was beaten 
to death rather than betray his hiding-place. 
The other revealed it under similar torture. 

That we in these days may learn a lesson of 
steadfast patience and gentle firmness from the 
contemplation of these faithful witnesses for 
Christ is the prayer of your sincere friend. 

The Author. 


CONTENTS, 


Chapter Page 

I. The Midnight Meeting xi 

II. At the Coliseum 23 

III. A New Convert 36 

IV. A Confession 51 

V. Marcus Aurelius 64 

VI. Persecution 77 

VII. Through Evil Report go 

VIII. In the Catacombs 104 

IX. At Ephesus 117 

X. The Storm Threatening T31 

XI. At Smyrna 144 

XII. The Victim 159 

XIII. Ayasaluk 172 

XIV. Philadelphia 1S5 

XV. At Pergamos 199 

XVI. Satan’s Seat 211 

XVII. At Thyatira 225 

XVIII. Sardis 238 

XIX. Seeking rut not Finding 251 

XX. The Bursting of the Storm 265 

XXI. An Unexpected Meeting 291 

XXII. Conclusion 285 




Jllustraiions. 


Page 

The Church of the Catacombs 2 

Gallery with Tombs 41 

Plautius’ Reception at Smyrna 147 

The Death of Polycarp 277 

< 


Historical Personages mentioned, in this Volume. 

Marcus Aurelius, 

Melito, 

Polycarp, 

Statius Quadratus. 


p 


FL A YI A. 


CHAPTER I. 

THE MIDNIGHT MEETING. 

"'HE sun was slowly sinking behind the 



- 1 - Alban hills, and the shadows were grow- 
ing longer and longer in the lovely valley of 
Aricia, while upon the forests of evergreen oaks 
and cork-trees that clothed the higher slopes 
of the mountains night had already descended. 
But in spite of the lengthening shadows and 
deepening gloom there seemed to be an unusual 
stir and bustle, and instead of retiring to their 
homes all the inhabitants of the valley seemed 
to be going out in holiday attire with baskets 
and bundles, in which one could catch glimpses 
of goats’-milk cheese, dried dates and figs, as 
well as cakes and barley bread. 

Gay equipages, preceded by lictors, were also 
to be seen mingling with the more humble holi- 
day makers, and they all took the same road 
across the Campagna toward the gate of the 


12 


Flavia. • 


Imperial City. Men and women, with children 
in their arms or at their side ; patrician ladies, 
who would not soil their feet by stepping 
across the streets where the poorer citizens 
walked, were all talking of the same subject 
this evening, all bent on the same errand — 
to reach the Coliseum to-night, that they might 
secure seats to witness the games, for, although 
it would accommodate eighty thousand spec- 
tators, hundreds would struggle in vain to 
reach its marble seats, and would go away at 
last disappointed. 

‘‘ Mother, will the lion be very fierce,” asked 
a gentle-looking, fair-haired girl, vainly trying 
to suppress a shudder as she spoke. 

Irene is afraid of the lion, I know,” said her 
brother. ‘‘ He cannot come to us, silly girl,” 
he added; “it’s only those wicked Christians 
that the lion can touch.” 

“ Come, come, children ! ” called the father at 
this moment. “Ye must make haste or the 
city gates will be closed, and then we shall see 
nothing of the games to-morrow.” 

A litter, in which sat two ladies, was travel- 
ing in the same direction, and at about the 
same pace, as the vine-dresser’s family, and the 
children’s talk about the next day’s grand doings 
seemed to interest and amuse them very much. 


The Midnight Meethig. 


13 


“ I wonder whether we were as eager to see 
the shows as these children are when we first 
went,” said Flavia, the elder of the two sisters. 

“Yes, indeed,” answered her sister gayly ; 
“ and I am anxious to see the closing scene of 
this spectacle. Chariot riding and gladiators 
fighting are sights common enough, but the 
king of beasts fighting with half a dozen Chris- 
tians is a sight Rome has not witnessed for 
several years.” 

“ No, I have never seen them in the arena,” 
said her sister. “ The law of Trajan, that these 
people should be punished only when they 
broke the laws of Rome, has prevented the pre- 
fects from yielding to the wish of the people 
when they demanded that they should be thrown 
to the lions for worshiping strange gods,” re- 
plied Flavia. 

“ Well, it does not seem quite fair that these 
people should be so severely punished for not 
worshiping the gods of Rome. Serapis, for 
whom our late emperor erected such a splendid 
temple, is not a Roman god, and yet he is hon- 
ored here as in Egypt. Indeed, it is quite 
fashionable to worship both Serapis and Isis in 
Rome.” 

“ Nay, nay, Sisidona ! but it is not for the 
worship of this God alone, but the manner of 


14 


Flavia. 


their worship, that makes every one hate them 
so much. We love our Eleusinian mysteries, 
it is true, but the orgies of these vile Christians 
are far, far worse than any thing ever heard of 
before. Children are decoyed into these meet- 
ings, and never heard of or seen afterward. 

Sisidona shuddered. ‘‘To think 'of sweet 
little innocents, like your Felicita, being ill- 
used,” she said. “ I would have every one of 
them thrown to the lions or into the Tiber,” 
she added quickly. 

The young matron smiled at her sister’s ear- 
nestness. “ There is little fear that thou wilt 
turn Christian.” 

“The gods forbid any Roman matron or 
maiden joining this accursed sect. What think- 
est thou, Escalus.^” she added, lifting the cur- 
tain of her litter and addressing a young man 
in the chariot at the side. “ Flavia deems it 
needful to give me a word of warning concern- 
ing these wretched Christians.” 

. “ Hush, hush, my sister,” said the young 
man with a smile. “Jest not about this, for 
strangers who know thee not may suspect that 
thou needest the caution, and this would bring 
trouble upon all of us ; ” and he glanced at the 
gentleman beside him as he spoke. 

Sisidona pouted like a spoiled child. “ My 


The Midnight Meeting. 15 

friends need not trouble themselves about me/’ 
she said ; but she, too, glanced at the other 
occupant of the chariot as she spoke. 

The noble Sisidona will never cause her 
friends anxiety on that account, I am sure,” he 
said, in answer to her look. 

‘‘ I never make any promises,” said the young 
lady archly. 

‘'Then my Flavia must take charge of her 
wildful little sister,” said Escalus, with a loving 
look at his wife as he spoke. 

“ She will not prove a troublesome charge. 
But shall we not be late } ” said the lady hastily, 
noticing for the first time the deepening shad- 
ows along the road. 

“Yes, we must not linger talking here, or we 
shall have to stay outside the city gates until 
the morning;” and the next minute lictors, 
slaves, and horses were urged to a brisker pace, 
and they hurried across the Campagna, for they 
were anxious to secure lodgings in the already 
crowded city, and this would not be easy, they 
knew, on the eve of such a splendid exhibition 
in the arena. 

Meanwhile the streets of the city were 
thronged with eager sight-seers, all on their 
way to or from the Coliseum ; for those whom 
business would prevent, as well as many who 


Fla VI A. 


j6 

did not intend venturing to be present the fol- 
lowing day, were determined to see something 
of the spectacle, and went to see the lion con- 
fined in its cage at the side of the building ; 
while those who hoped to occupy one of those 
marble seats, now shining dim and white in the 
fading daylight, were eagerly pressing toward 
the different entrances, where a dense crowd 
had already assembled. 

These were variously engaged in betting on 
the gladiators, and talking over the additional 
spectacle of the lion and the Christians, some 
wishing the emperor had ordered them to be 
armed, that the unequal contest might be pro- 
longed, and others that they might be brought 
out one at the time. But no one ventured to 
breathe a word of pity for those who were con- 
demned to this awful punishment, even if they 
felt any compassion. 

The crowd consisted of the poorer classes 
wool-carders and dyers, tanners, and the min- 
ers or excavators, who dug the stone of which 
Rome was built from the interior of the adja- 
cent hills — these far outnumbered the other 
portion ; and when it became known where the 
prisoners were confined — which of the numer- 
ous cells that intersected the lower portion of 
the great amphitheater — several of these rough- 


17 


The Midnight Meetmg, 

looking men left the door- way, near which they 
were standing, and made their way round to 
the deserted side of the vast building, and after 
cautiously looking round to see that no one was 
within earshot, they went to one of the thick- 
ly-studded, grated doors, and one said in a loud 
whisper, '' Courage, my brethren and sisters, 
the Lord will be near ye.” 

“Yes, nearer than the crowd or the lion, for 
he is with us now, brightening this dark cell with 
the glory of his presence,” said a firm, cheerful 
voice from within. 

“ The Lord be praised ! ” said the visitors, and 
then gathered closer to the door that they might 
hear every word spoken, while one went to tell 
other friends that they had succeeded in finding 
the prison. 

As the shades of night grew more dark the 
crowds in the streets leading to the Coliseum 
increased both in noise and number ; and 
whatever other topic they might disagree upon, 
all joined in praise of their new emperor, Mar- 
cus Aurelius, who, at the festivities incident 
upon his assumption of the imperial purple, 
promised to gratify his people’s wish, and put 
down these Christians. So eager, so intent 
was every body in the discussion of this and 
kindred topics, that no one noticed a little group 


I8 


Flavia. 


of quiet-speaking, unostentatious people, who 
pushed their way through the crowd when com- 
pelled to do it, but otherwise sought the shel- 
ter of walls and porticoes as they pressed on 
toward the center of attraction, the Coliseum. 

It was reached at last, but they did not turn 
toward the spot where the fierce roaring of the 
lion gave notice of where he was to be seen, but 
passed on toward another cell, from whence 
other sounds than this were now heard. The 
little group of Christians, outside as well as in- 
side the cell, had lifted their voices in concert, 
and were singing a hymn. Softly and sweetly 
came the muffled sound from within the iron 
grating ; but the fresh-comers heard it before 
they reached the spot, and joined in the strain 
that told of life beyond the grave. Victor, their 
bishop, was with the little party outside, and 
when the singing had ceased he went close to 
the door, and, though the grating was high above 
his head, he made himself heard while he spoke 
words of faith and hope to brace the courage of 
those about to suffer. If the glory and honor 
of martyrdom was pictured in such glgwing 
language that those standing without almost 
envied their comrades within those stone walls, 
was it greatly to be wondered at It was no 
common trial they were called upon to endure. 


19 


The Midnight Meeting. 

The hisses and scorntul words of thousands of 
spectators was in itself enough to make the 
stoutest heart quail, and this, as well as the lion, 
would have to be confronted in a few hours. 

When Victor had done speaking another 
hymn was sung, and then the bishop again 
drew near the door, and, with upraised head and 
outstretched arms, he prayed for those so soon 
to suffer an agonizing death ; prayed that the 
Lord himself would stand by them, as he did by 
his servant Daniel, not this time to shut the 
lion’s mouth, but to grant them a speedy de- 
liverance from the agonies of death, and an 
abundant entrance into the kingdom of light. 
But not only for those, or the Church of God 
in Rome, did he pray, but for that clamoring, 
quarrelsome multitude, whose shouting and 
struggling could be heard now, and who, scarcely 
less savage than the lion himself, had thirsted 
for their blood and demanded it of the emperor. 
For those he prayed, that they might be turned 
from the worship of demons to the living God ; 
that some of those who should assemble to 
witness the death of these Christians might be 
so impressed that they, too, should become 
seekers after God. 

The deep purple of the midnight sky, with its 
myriad stars, saw the little Gompany of Chris- 
2 


20 


Flavia. 


tians increase in number as well as in fervor. 
All fear of what the consequences might be had 
long since vanished, and many, as they joined 
in singing the soul-cheering words of their 
hymns, wished they could change places with, 
their companions in the cell, or that some one 
would accuse them of holding the same faith, 
that they, too, might march to the arena the 
next day. The fear of death was taken away, 
and those whom a few in the distant crowd 
silently pitied as the most miserable people in 
Rome, were exulting in the anticipation of the 
.glory so soon to be revealed. Those to be 
cheered and comforted had changed places be- 
fore the little company broke up, for it was 
those within the cell who were speaking words of 
hope and joy and encouragement, while many 
outside were bowed down with grief and sorrow, 
and dared not trust their voices to respond for 
fear of betraying their emotion. 

At length, however, the last words had to be 
spoken — messages sent to absent friends from 
those within the cells, last wishes expressed, 
and then the last farewell. They could not see 
each other face to face — that joy could not be 
theirs until they met before the throne of God — 
but words of tenderest love and affection were 
uttered, and then, -as the first rosy flush of dawn 


21 


The Midnight Meeting, 

began to paint the eastern sky, the little com- 
pany turned sorrowfully away, and silently took 
the road leading to their homes. A few of the 
boldest of them would fain have mingled with 
the crowd now pressing round the entrances, 
that they might, by their presence, cheer and 
encourage their companions when they should 
be brought forth ; but this their bishop deemed 
unwise in the present instance, and so, for the 
sake of others, these restrained their eagerness, 
and went back to their daily employment of 
wool-combing, or cutting out blocks of stone, 
and thus forming those wonderful cells and pas- 
sages since known as the Catacombs. This 
marvelous Coliseum, with its thousands of stone 
seats, the mighty aqueducts and extensive 
baths, besides palaces, houses, and bridges, 
had all been taken from the interior of the hills 
on which the city was built, and thus galleries 
running in every direction, as well as cells and 
large chambers, had been formed by the removal 
of these blocks of stone ; and these cells/tKe 
poor of Rome had been glad to use as /Sepul- 
chers, for they could not afford to burn their 
dead, as the wealthy and patrician families did. 
A use had been found for one of the large 
chambers now, for here the Christian Church 
could meet without fear of interruption or 


22 


Fla VIA. 


discovery, for none but those working in the 
catacombs understood the tortuous windings of 
these subterranean passages, and it was among 
these poor and despised workmen that the Gos- 
pel made its way most rapidly, so that the secret 
was comparatively safe from the rest of the 
world. 

To this underground church many of them 
now took their way, and while trumpets were 
blowing, and flags were being unfurled, and 
chariots driving at their topmost speed, and all 
fashionable Rome turning out to witness the 
grand scene of the day, these Christians were 
praying for their companions, that their faith 
and courage might not fail, and for the emperor 
and \ns people, that they, too, might learn to 
secK God. 


At the Coliscinn, 


23 


CHAPTER II. 


AT THE COLISEUM. 


HATEVER rest Rome had the night 



V V before the shows in the arena, was brok- 
en at the earliest dawn of day, for all who de- 
sired to witness them must present their tickets 
at the various entrances early if they wished to 
obtain a seat ; and so before the first rays of 
the sun had gilded the colossal statue of Apollo, 
standing in the midst of the Triumphal Way, 
the broad street was crowded with silk-cur- 
tained litters, and gay, fantastic chariots, sur- 
rounded by their lictors, who were, however, of 
little use in clearing a passage through such a 
dense crowd, although they used their rods 
upon the unfortunate foot-passengers who hap- 
pened to be in the way. 

Just beyond the colossal statue of the sun 
god rose the vast Flavian Amphitheater, its 
marble seats rising tier above tier, the most 
conspicuous in the lower one being reserved 
for the emperor and his household and the 
senators. Behind these sat the magistrates and 
wealthy patricians, and then the male portion 


24 


Fla VI A. 


of the general public. The upper seats were 
exclusively set apart for women ; and now, 
in the morning sunshine, their gay dresses 
looked as bright as a parterre of flowers ; and 
here there was more laughing, betting, and 
joking than in any of the other seats. Around 
the parapet, which was raised above the arena 
and from which the seats gradually rose, were 
gladiatorial inscriptions, while the arena itself 
was covered with a fine sifted sand. 

It was not long when the doors were once 
opened before the whole building was filled, 
and every eye was directed to the silk-curtained 
ivory box, where Marcus Aurelius would take 
his place as emperor to-day for the first time. 
It would not be the first time he had ever sat 
near the imperial chair, for he had not only 
been the adopted heir, but the loved and trusted 
friend of his predecessor, Antoninus Pius, and 
none mourned his death more deeply and truly 
than the man who was to succeed to his honors, 
and all Rome knew it. 

At last a flourish of trumpets announced the 
arrival of the emperor, and every eye was 
strained to catch a glimpse of that noble brow 
and calmly beautiful, though somewhat sad face. 
As if divining this wish he stood for a moment 
and gazed round upon that immense multitude, 


At the Colisatm, 


25 


now rending the air with their shouts, and 
spoke to his friend and coadjutor, Verus, and 
an old Roman general, Avidius Cassius, who 
stood near. He then sat down, at the same 
time motioning to a young man who was near, 
and carried a roll of manuscript, to come close 
to his chair and prepare to commence reading, 
while he himself drew from his girdle the wax- 
en tablets and stylus, to take notes of what 
was read, or any thing that should take place 
worthy of being remembered. As soon as the 
emperor had taken his seat the trumpets again 
sounded, and the next minute the gladiators 
entered the arena, and, forming into a proces- 
sion, marched slowly round the vast space, 
stopping in front of the emperor’s seat as they 
shouted, “ Hail, Cesar I those who are about to 
die salute thee.” 

It was the usual form of salutation, but how 
surprised some of that gay, thoughtless multi- 
tude would have become, could they have known 
what their great Cesar was writing as he bent 
over his tablets when the gladiators turned 
away. Slowly the clumsy golden pen formed 
the words : “ It would be a man’s happiest lot 
to depart from mankind without having had a 
taste of lying, and hypocrisy, and luxury, and 
pride. However, to breathe out one’s life when 


26 


Flavia. 


a man has had enough of those things is the 
next best voyage.” 

Strange words these for such a man to write, 
for Marcus Aurelius was no common man, but 
a king among his fellows by nature as well as 
by circumstance. A Roman, a patrician, in 
the full tide of health, of glorious beauty, the 
greatest conqueror, the greatest philosopher, 
the noblest ruler of his time, master of the 
world, and yet he could see the hollowness and 
vanity of it all ; and instead of being sunk in 
luxury or intoxicated with the vast power he 
possessed, could yet aspire and long for some- 
thing purer, holier, nobler than any life that 
could be lived here. Surely the Spirit of God 
implanted these holy aspirations and longings 
after greater purity and truth, although he knew 
it not. Surely God was waiting to reveal him- 
self more clearly to this, the noblest of Rome’s 
emperors. But will Marcus Aurelius see Him 
for whom he is stretching out weary hands 
blindly, if haply he may find him ? Will he 
recognize His humble messengers, or will he 
persecute those to whom he is nearest in aim 
and spirit ? 

By the time the emperor had finished writing 
in his tablets the first preliminaries of the 
games were over, and the sham contest be- 


At the Coliseum, 


27 


tween the gladiators began. Fighting with 
wooden swords, however, was too tame for a 
Roman populace, and this was speedily brought 
to a close and the real gladiatorial games began, 
and they now paired off and assumed the dif- 
ferent weapons they were to use. The first 
gladiator carried a net and spear, while his 
opponent bore shield and sword, and this was 
considered one of the most artistic as well as 
the most dangerous portion of the games. The 
next couple were Greeks, naked save by a cinct- 
ure round the waist. These were each armed 
with a heavy cestus. Another pair followed in 
complete armor of steel, and armed with sharp 
pointed swords. 

It was no sham fighting now. The sand and 
sawdust covering the arena was soon soaked 
with blood, and the multitude shouted and 
cheered first one combatant and then another, 
until the netter fell dead beneath a blow from 
his opponent’s sword, when a shout for the vic- 
tor announced that the first contest was over. 

The attendants came in with hooks and fresh 
sand, and dragging away the body of the gladi- 
ator to the spoliarium, the arena was sprinkled 
with the sand, and another pair stepped for- 
ward to fight until one or other should drop 
beneath a fatal blow, and be dragged off, as their 


28 


Fla VIA. 


companion had been! Horrible as the sight 
was, hundreds of Rome’s proudest and fairest 
patrician dames sat and watched each detail, 
while children clapped their tiny hands at the 
sight of the blood-stained corpses. 

The emperor alone seemed to take little inter- 
est in the spectacle. His position obliged him 
to be present, but he paid far more heed to the 
reading than to the pageant. And what was the 
book, and who was the author that could inter- 
est such a man as Marcus Aurelius, and at such 
a time as this The book was called “The 
Discourses of Epictetus,” and he was a Phryg- 
ian slave ; but the emperor was none the less 
glad to learn from him. How strange it would 
have sounded to some of those frivolous Ro- 
mans to hear these words read from this book : 
“Nothing great is produced at once; the vine 
must blossom, and bear fruit, and ripen, before 
we have the purple clusters of the grape. . . . 
But how are we to know that we have made 
progress. We may know it if our own wills 
are bent in conformity with nature ; if we be 
noble, free, faithful, humble ; if desiring noth- 
ing and shunning nothing which lies beyond 
our power we sit loose to all earthly interests ; 
if our lives are under the distinct governance 
of immutable and noble laws.” 


At the Colisetiin. 


29 

^ These were the words Marcus Aurelius was 
pondering over as he sat in the chair of state, 
gazed at and envied by that mighty crowd. 
While these gladiators fought with sword and 
cestus the emperor was thinking how he could 
best fight against his own selfishness and the 
first rising of misplaced ambition ; how he might 
train himself to become a better ruler, and a 
nobler, purer man ; and the best help, the best 
guidance he could have, that he knew of, were 
the words of this Phrygian slave. He had never 
heard of the Bible, never heard of God’s Holy 
Spirit, who has promised to be not only the 
Comforter, but the Guide and Helper of all who 
seek him ; and so it was no wonder that the 
emperor sighed as he thought how hard the 
battle was to fight sometimes. And yet, al- 
though he knew it not, surely God’s Spirit was 
his helper, or he could never have lived such a 
pure, noble, unselfish life in the midst of people 
so corrupt and vicious that all virtue seemed 
dead, so sunk in luxury and selfish indulgence 
that they would sell themselves to the most ab- 
ject slavery to secure it. The grand old Roman 
virtues had passed away, and Rome had fallen 
a victim to her universal conquest by being 
conquered herself by the vices of her tributary 
provinces, so that she had become an aggregate 


30 


Flavia. 


of universal vice and moral depravity ; and in 
the midst of all this, her emperor was strug- 
gling nobly against every evil propensity in 
himself, and doing what he could to encourage 
virtue, goodness, and truth in others, but grop- 
ing in the darkness still, not knowing that the 
Light had come, and was even now shining in 
the hearts of many of the poorest, and whom he 
had been taught to consider the vilest, of his 
subjects. 

The gladiatorial contests came to an end at 
last. The gory corpses were dragged away, 
fresh sand and sawdust were sprinkled on the 
floor of the arena, and people shook out their 
dresses and settled themselves comfortably in 
their seats for the last grand scene that was 
yet to be enacted. The emperor, however, rose 
and left the Coliseum at this point, and his seat 
was taken by the prefect who had condemned 
the Christians the very day Marcus Aurelius 
was proclaimed emperor. 

Meanwhile the little company of Christians 
in their gloomy cell were alternately praying for 
strength to be faithful to their Lord, and en- 
couraging each other by repeating portions of 
Scripture they had learned. Once or twice 
they ventured to sing a hymn, and they were 
thus engaged when the door swung gratingly 


At the Coliseum. 


31 


back and disclosed that sea of faces rising up 
before them. For a moment they were dazzled 
by the sudden burst of sunshine, and Melita, 
who had followed her husband and father to 
prison and to death, uttered a slight scream. 
Her husband looked pityingly at the white, 
frightened face of his wife, and putting his 
arm around her, whispered, Courage, my Me- 
lita ; close thine eyes and lean on me ; the 
Lord Christ will bear thee in his arms to the 
glory beyond.” 

The white-headed old man, who was to suf- 
fer too, stepped out first, in answer to the call 
of the edile, and marched with a firm step to 
the middle of the arena and turned his face 
toward the prefect. Melita’s fright on seeing 
so many faces turned toward her soon passed 
away, and, leaning on her husband, she quickly 
followed her father, and the three stood together 
as groans of disappointment were heard when 
the cell door was closed and they saw that only 
three were to be sacrificed instead of six, as 
they had heard. The sight of the timid, shrink- 
ing form of Melita seemed to touch the heart 
of the prefect, however, with a very different 
feeling from that of the insensate crowd, and, 
rising from his seat, he said aloud, speaking to 
her : “ Thou surely wilt not be so obstinate as 


32 


Fla VI A. 


to persevere in bringing this destruction upon 
thyself.” 

Great prefect, my wife will die in the 
faith of Christ,” said her husband in reply. 

“ Sacrifice even now to the gods of Rome, 
whose anger ye have kindled by your athe- 
ism, and ye shall be set at liberty,” said the 
prefect. 

^'Nay, that is not possible; for the God 
whom we serve will not give his glory to 
another,” answered the elder man. 

“ The Christians to the lions ! the Chris- 
tians to the lions ! ” shouted the crowd im- 
patiently. 

The prefect lifted his hand and looked at 
them sternly, while a herald, seeing that look, 
commanded silence. Marcus Aurelius had 
given commandment to make every effort to 
save these foolish, obstinate people, as he 
thought them ; and so, when quiet was once 
more restored, the prefect said, '' This Christ, 
whom ye profess to serve, cannot save thee 
from the lion.” 

But he has saved us from sin, and will take 
us speedily to the glory beyond the grave,” an- 
swered one of the martyrs. The lion can but 
destroy these vile bodies ; our souls we have 
already committed to the charge of our God, 


At the Coliseum. 


33 


and how can we take them back? He has re- 
deemed us from the evil of this world and the 
service of the demons whom ye vainly call 
gods/' 

“ The Christians to the lions ! the Chris- 
tians to the lions ! they insult our gods ! " 
cried a multitude of voices in the crowd. 

“ It is enough,” said the prefect. I would 
fain have saved them from the punishment of 
their folly, but it is all in vain, and they must 
die to appease the outraged honor of Jupiter.” 

“ They must die or Rome will be quite 
ruined,” remarked one ; “ the Tiber overflow- 
ing its banks is clearly caused by the atheism 
of these people.” 

While he had been speaking the grating had 
been drawn away from the den of the lion, and 
the next minute he bounded forth with a ter- 
rible roar, his mane bristling and his eyes 
ablaze with anger and hunger, for he had been 
kept without food for the last twenty-four hours. 
He did not see his victims, however, as he 
came out ; but his eyes falling on that living wall 
of faces stretching away in the distance, he made 
a bound at the parapet, as if to reach them, but 
it was far too high for him to scale, and so, with 
a deep growl, he ran round it several times, as if 
in search of some accessible spot ; and it was 


34 


Fla VI A. 


not until some movement or sound of those 
standing in the middle attracted his attention 
that he saw them. Then he stopped in his run, 
and, with one deafening roar, sprung upon them. 
Mehta had fainted in her husband’s arms just 
before that fatal spring, and so she was merciful- 
ly spared any further agony, for the lion fell 
upon her first, tearing her limb from limb be- 
fore her husband’s eyes. He smiled triumph- 
antly when he saw that all pain for her was 
over. 

“ My God, I thank thee that thou hast heard 
my prayer ! ” he cried with a loud voice. “ The 
sting of death is taken away from me now,” he 
added. ‘'Jesus, receive my spirit,” he cried as 
the lion seized him. 

A few minutes and all was over. The blood- 
stained arena and a few bones and shreds of 
garments showed where the heroic martyrs had 
been ; but they had winged their flight to a 
land where there is no darkness, and no grop- 
ing for the day ; where there can be no mis- 
takes and no misrepresentations, for God him- 
self is king and shines as the sun in the firma- 
ment, and his people rejoice in his light. 
The thoughts of human suffering was not con- 
genial to the mild and gentle Marcus Aurelius, 
and hearing that every effort to save the martyrs 


At the Coliseum. 


35 


had failed, he dispatched a messenger to the 
Coliseum before the assemblage broke up, to 
command the edile never again to listen to the 
clamors of the crowd against these Christians, 
for he would never allow another such scene to 

take place in Rome while he was emperor. 

3 


36 


Flavia. 


CHAPTER III. 

A NEW CONVERT. 

S EVERAL months passed away, but there 
had been few games in the Coliseum since 
the one in which the Christians had been sacri- 
ficed to the popular demand, for dire disasters 
had visited the Imperial City and its environs, 
and even the most frivolous had been forced to 
think of something beyond mere amusement for 
once. 

The first slight inundation of the Tiber had 
been followed by another, and now half the 
lower part of the city lay in ruins. Houses 
had been thrown down, bridges swept away, 
vineyards torn up, and corn-fields so washed 
over that the crops had been destroyed ; and now 
another enemy was marching upon the luxuri- 
ous city. Gaunt and grim famine was near at 
hand, and the poor, upon whom all these dis- 
asters fell most heavily, began to feel the iron 
hand of this destroyer, and murmurs deep, if 
not very loud, were uttered against the Chris- 
tians as the cause of all this ruin. So they 
had to be more cautious than ever when they 


A New Convert. 


37 


ventured to assemble for public worship now, 
for although the emperor had proclaimed that 
he would uphold the ancient law of Trajan, and 
suffer no man to be punished for his religion 
again, they knew that some of the most violent 
among the slaves and poor freedmen would not 
hesitate to take the law into their own hands 
to avenge the dignity of the gods, especially if 
they could rob them of their few possessions at 
the same time. 

In the dusk of evening, however, they ven- 
tured to set out in parties of two or three to- 
gether, and, taking the most circuitous roads, 
met at last in the large chamber that had been 
excavated out of the very heart of the Esquiline 
Hill. The sight of a stranger among them was 
of rare occurrence now, and caused some little 
alarm one evening when one appeared. The 
friends who had brought her, however, hastened 
to assure their brethren that they had nothing 
to fear. 

It is an answer to our prayers offered out- 
side the Flavian Amphitheater where our 
brethren suffered,” said one ; '' for this noble 
lady, who was present then, was so impressed 
by the martyrs’ firmness that she sought to 
know more of that religion that could give such 
courage and raise such hopes. She has learned 


38 


Flavia. 


something of our holy faith from a slave in her 
service ; but she would fain learn more, and 
she seeks our teaching, my brethren.’' As the 
speaker concluded the lady allowed the long 
dark cloak she wore to fall from her shoulders 
and removed her vail, disclosing the features of 
the young matron, Flavia. She was not the only 
patrician lady present, but a start of surprise 
went through the little company as they noticed 
her rank ; but they bade her welcome in the 
usual form, and she sat down beside the catechu- 
mens or learners, while her slave took her place 
among the members of the Church. 

This underground chamber, with its rough, 
unadorned walls and its single smoking lamp, 
swinging from an iron chain in the middle of 
the roof, was a strange scene to the polished, 
luxurious lady.* There were no statues or altars, 
no lamps or censers ; nothing that could remind 
her of the heathen temples or the worship of the 
popular deities. A venerable looking old man 
was seated at a rough wooden desk, on which 
lay a roll of papyrus, and soon after Flavia 
entered the whole company rose, and, with up- 
raised eyes and outstretched arms, united silent- 
ly in the prayer which the old man spoke aloud. 
Then the roll was opened, and a portion of the 
* See F rontispiece. 


A New Convert, 


39 


Gospel of St. John was read and a hymn sung. 
After this instruction was given to the catechu- 
mens, and among these Flavia took her place, 
answering the questions that were put to her 
by her teacher with the same readiness and 
meekness as the rest. 

It was a strange class of learners. Beside the 
patrician lady sat a British slave-girl, and next 
to her a robber, who had once made these same 
Catacombs his head-quarters, and had been the 
terror of all the neighborhood. Then there was 
a wool-comber; a freedman, who had lived by 
pandering to the vices of his patron ; a hard- 
working miner, who spent his whole time in 
fashioning such chambers and galleries as these 
Catacombs abounded with, and to whom the 
hope of spending an eternity in the sunlight had 
been the first attraction toward this despised 
faith. To each and all of these the good news 
of salvation had some special attraction, differ- 
ing according to their different needs and na- 
tures, but working in each the same result — 
meekness and lowliness, and a desire to enter 
upon a new life. 

After the catechumens had been instructed 
an old man led in some little children, and they, 
too, were taught that the Lord Christ was wait- 
ing to bless them now, as he had blessed the 


40 


Fla VIA. 


children of Judea. Then a blessing was pro- 
nounced upon them, and they were dismissed 
with the catechumens, and those who had not 
been received into the Church by baptism. 

Flavia threw the cloak over her shoulders, 
and following her guide, who carried a lantern 
to light them through the gloomy passages, 
slowly left the Church. It had been a blessed 
season of refreshment to her soul and she was 
unwilling to leave, for she knew not when she 
might be able to come again, as she had already 
incurred great dangers to be present to-night, 
and yet she longed to be admitted a member of 
Christ’s Church by baptism, if it were possible. 

This bare, rough-hewn cavern was no com- 
mon chamber, but the very gate of heaven to her 
soul, and she felt no horror, no fear, when she 
saw, on their way back, that this was a burying- 
place for the dead as well as a meeting-place 
for the living. All along the passages were 
little niches cut out of the soft stone, and in 
each of these lay one or two corpses, many of 
them those of Christian martyrs she could see by 
the palm branch cut in the stone above and the 
words in peace ” written underneath. The 
sight of this brought to Flavia’s recollection 
that scene in the Coliseum, which she could 
never recall without a shudder, although it 



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. . .k ' •> 


• s 




A New Convert. 


43 

had been the turning point in her own life- 
history. 

Carefully and cautiously they threaded their 
way up through the labyrinthine passages to a 
deserted garden, where, concealed among the 
dark-leaved ilex and olive copse, a trap-door had 
been made to afford this secret entrance to the 
Catacombs. They still had to use caution in 
passing through this neighborhood to the more 
inhabited parts of the city, for the place was 
infested with robbers, and murders were not 
unfrequent here. 

At last the more popular streets of the city 
were reached, where Flavia had to be specially 
careful lest she should be recognized by any of the 
gay passengers on their way to the palace, on the 
Palatine Hill, where the Empress Faustina was 
entertaining a number of guests in honor of the 
birth of the twin princes who had been born a 
short time previously. Flavia herself was ex- 
pected to be present at this festive scene, for 
they had left the quiet of . their villa, at Aricia, 
and taken up their abode in one of the wings of 
the extensive palace, built by Nero, since her husr 
band had entered the service of the emperor, 
His absence to-night, however, had afforded her 
the long-desired opportunity of attending the 
services in the Christian Church, where she 


44 


Flavia. 


hoped to be admitted as a member shortly ; but 
she ran some risk of discovery now on her way 
home. 

The streets were hung with lamps, and several 
daintily-perfumed and garland-crowned Greeks, 
on their way to the palace or the house of some 
friend, paused to look more curiously at the 
closely enveloped figures of the two women as 
they glided hastily and cautiously along. There 
were crowds of miserable beggars, too, many of 
them holding out deformed or mutilated infants, 
obtained for the express purpose of exciting the 
pity of the more fortunate citizens. Alas ! it 
needed no extraneous misery now ; the pale, 
pinched faces told the tale of starvation all too 
plainly, and Flavia shuddered as she looked from 
the abject crowd to the gorgeous palace, with 
its thousand pillars of marble, its triple porticoes, 
and avenues stretching down each slope of the 
hill. Such luxury and such misery, thus brought 
together, the world has rarely seen, and she did 
not wonder that their emperor, intent on 
diminishing the one and alleviating the other, 
should often grow weary and disheartened at 
the gigantic task he had set himself, or that it 
needed vigilant sentries and the services of the 
Pretorian guards to keep all unwelcome in- 
truders out of the palace. 


A New Convert. 


45 


She herself had to be cautious now when 
she presented herself for admission ; but, for- 
tunately, she had no difficulty in this matter, 
and gained her own private apartments without 
any mishap. Her sister, Sisidona, who had 
come to live with her, looked up as she entered 
the peristyle. “ What hath happened, my Fla- 
via } ” she asked, in a tone of alarm, hastening 
to her sister’s side as she spoke. 

Flavia tried to smile. Thou art timid to- 
night, Sisidona,” she said. 

“ Nay, but my sister, thou art the one fright- 
ened, I am sure. Has any thing happened to 
inten*upt the banquet ? ” she asked. 

“ I have not been to the banquet,” said Fla- 
via, coloring as she spoke. 

Not been to the banquet ! ” uttered the 
young lady slowly, now noticing, for the first 
time, that her sister had none of her jewels on, 
and had made but little change in her dress 
since the morning. 

Flavia looked still more confused as she saw 
the puzzled expression of her sister’s face. “Do 
not ask me where I have been,” she said hastily. 
“ I will tell thee all by and by.” 

“But what will the empress say.^” asked 
Sisidona, after a lengthened pause. 

“ She will not miss such a humble guest as 


46 


Flavia. 


myself,” answered Flavia, lightly. ‘‘ Have the 
children been quite well ? ” she asked. 

They are well, I think ; but Felicita tells me 
thou hast not let her pray to the lares and pe- 
nates lately ; but I insisted upon her doing it 
to-night,” said Sisidona. 

‘‘ Do not do it again, my sister,” said Flavia. 

Sisidona started. Flavia, what dost thou 
mean ? what is all this mystery ? Something 
has happened, I am sure, and if thou wilt not 
tell me what it is, I will ask Escalus as soon as 
he returns.” 

Flavia grew as white as the marble Diana, 
against which she was leaning, at that threat. 

Sisidona, thou must not do that,” she said in 
a whisper, her very lips growing pale as she 
thought of her husband’s anger when he should 
know where she had been. 

Sisidona drew herself up proudly. ‘^No 
Roman matron worthy the name fears to tell 
her husband and sister where she has been 
visiting,” she said sternly. 

‘‘ I will tell him, and thee, too, Sisidona ; 
but I cannot do so now,” said Flavia, with some- 
thing of her sister’s sternness in the tone she 
used. 

I do not ask to be admitted to thy secrets, 
but I will not be made thine accomplice by 


A New Convert, 47 

concealing what I know from thy husband,” 
said Sisidona. 

‘'Thou wilt tell Escalus I have been out to- 
night instead of going to the banquet ? ” asked 
Flavia. 

“ I will tell him as soon as he returns with 
the emperor from Lorium,” said Sisidona. 

Flavia sank down upon a pile of cushions, 
covered her face with her hands, and moaned 
in the agony of her spirit. “ O, my sister, thou 
knowest not what misery thou wilt bring upon 
me,” she said. 

“Nay, but I will save thee from misery if I 
can,” said Sisidona. “ Be persuaded, O my 
Flavia, and tell Escalus where thou hast been, 
even if thou wilt not tell me.” 

But Flavia only shook her head. “ I cannot 
bear it yet,” she said ; “ by and by I will — I 
must do it, but not just now, not just yet. 
Sisidona, wilt thou keep my secret if I intrust 
it to thee } ” she suddenly asked. 

“ Nay, I know not that I can give such a 
promise as thou requirest,” she said ; then, sud- 
denly bursting into tears, she threw herself 
upon her sisters shoulder, sobbing forth, 
“ Flavia, thou knowest how deeply I love thee, 
and how Escalus holds thee as the purest 
and noblest matron in Rome ; surely thou hast 


48 


Fla VI A. 


not been drawn into the commission of any 
fashionable follies such as disgrace the palace, 
pure as our emperor s court is.’' 

Flavia smiled through her tears. Thou art 
more foolish than a goose, my little sister,” she 
said ; ‘‘ I am not a fashionable lady, such as 
a flower-crowned Greek would make love to, 
neither do I court the notice of any one but 
my darling children.” 

'‘Then whyshouldst thou fear to tell Escalus 
where thou hast been ? ” said Sisidona, again 
returning to the charge. 

Without replying to this Flavia said, "Sit 
down beside me, Sisidona, and let me tell thee 
a story ; ” and taking her sister’s hand she held 
it tightly, and drew her head down upon her 
shoulder tenderly as she went on : " Thou re- 
memberest the last time I was present at the 
gladiatorial games ? ” 

" Thou didst not go the last time,” interrupted 
her sister. " Thou hast not been since those 
obstinate Christians were given to the lion, ” 
she added. 

" And I shall never go again,” said Flavia, 
quietly. " Dost thou remember that last scene 
— the words the brave martyr spoke. He said 
his God had redeemed him from sin. I knew 
that this word ‘sin’ meant impurity and all 


A New Convert, 


49 


kinds of evil, and I knew that it was what our 
Olympian gods delighted in, although it was 
hateful to every one who loved truth and 
virtue. I had begun to hate it before that day 
— had begun to long for a purity and goodness 
above and beyond my own ; but where could I 
find it Not in the world, for our grand old 
Roman type of virtue is dead, and there are^few 
men like my Escalus or our emperor. On the 
summit of Olympus things were worse than in 
this world, if the histories of our gods be true. 
Where, then, could I look for purity and good- 
ness but to the God who redeemed his follow- 
ers from their sins } ” 

Sisidona started from her sister’s sheltering 
arms as she said this. Thou dost not mean 
to say thou hast been seeking the God of the 
Christians } ” she said in a tone of horror. 

Flavia bowed her head. I have sought and 
found him,” she said ; and I know now that 
he has redeemed me from all sin.” 

Flavia, thou art crazed ! ” said her sister ; 
tell me, this is all a mistake — some horrible 
dream, from which we shall awaken presently.” 

'' Nay, nay, it is not a dream, but a blessed 
reality. 1 am a Christian, and have been 
this night to seek admission to the Christian 
Church.” 


Flavia. 


50 

She might have said more, but, without one 
word of reply, Sisidona turned hastily away and 
went to her own chamber ; and Flavia, after a 
short time, went to look at her children before 
retiring to rest. 


A Confession. 


CHAPTER IV. 

A CONFESSION. 

HEN Flavia reached her own room she 



V V resolved to seek by prayer the strength 
she needed to meet the coming trial, for she 
saw that further concealment was impossible, 
and it was almost a relief to her mind that she 
should be thus forced to tell her husband. The 
bare fact of having a secret she dared not con- 
fide to him was in itself a pain and misery to 
her, and this had been enhanced by what she 
had been compelled to witness and tacitly join 
in every day, for not a meal could be taken that 
the gods were not acknowledged, and their 
worship was interwoven with every act of social 
and domestic life. That she and her slave, 
Nerissa, had hitherto escaped detection from 
their remissness in many of these rites and 
ceremonies was almost a marvel, although they 
had not been so unnoticed as they imagined. 

Before Flavia had concluded her supplications 
— while she was still standing gazing intently 
upward — the heavy curtain before the doorway 
was pushed aside and Sisidona entered. 


52 


Fla VI A. 


“ Flavia, I have come to say I will not inform 
Escalus of what hath happened to-night,” she 
said in a cold mechanical voice. 

A faint color stole into Flavians face. I will 
myself inform him as soon as he returns,” she 
said. I cannot bear this concealment any 
longer. I have been weak and faithless in hid- 
ing this change so long.” 

'' Hast thou thought of Escalus at all in this 
matter.?” inquired Sisidona, still in the same 
cold tone. 

Flavia bowed her head in her hands and 
groaned, O, my sister, what shall I do .? I fear 
to think of the effect of my confession upon my 
husband.” 

It is well thou art not quite heartless — that 
the gods have not wholly abandoned thee ; for, 
as this matter is a secret known only to me as 
yet, thy noble husband may still be spared the 
pain of knowing that his wife, whom he deems 
the purest matron in Rome, has embraced the 
faith held only by depraved wretches who make 
this an excuse for the exercise of cruelty and 
vice.” 

‘‘ Nay, nay, my sister ; this charge is false,” 
interrupted Flavia. ‘‘ Many, nay most, of the 
Christians are poor, I know ; but they live holy, 
blameless lives, loving and helping one another 


A Confession, 


S3 


in poverty and distress, more than would be 
thought possible if it were not so strangely 
true.” 

“ Then thou art determined to take the part 
of these people t ” said her sister. 

“ How can I do otherwise when I am one 
of them, and know that what I say is true.^” 
replied Flavia. 

“ Flavia, thou must not be so rash as to call 
thyself a Christian because thou hast been to 
their place of meeting once.” 

“ Nay, I might go to church many times, 
and still remain a worshiper of the old gods ; 
but, my sister, I have learned to love the Christ 
whom these people love. I believe he is the 
Saviour who came to redeem me from my sins 
and the power of evil. It is this that makes 
me love these people, and long to join with 
them ; for I want to know more of this Saviour’s 
love, and I want to prove that I love him by 
forsaking all false gods and serving him alone.” 

Then thou art still determined to forsake 
the gods of Rome said Sisidona impatiently. 

“ They are not gods but demons,” Flavia an- 
swered warmly. 

We will not argue this question, my sister ; 
we will leave the gods alone : but, about thy 

husband — what of him V' 

4 


54 


Fla VI A. 


I will tell Escalus what I know to be the 
truth — the truth of God,” said Flavia. 

“ And break his heart with the disgrace thou 
hast brought upon his name, as well as that of 
thy children,” warmly replied Sisidona. my 
Flavia, if thou hast no pity for thyself in this 
matter think of thy children — the disgrace that 
must be theirs when it is known that their 
mother is a Christian.” 

For a few moments Flavia could not speak, 
and when at last she had sufficiently subdued 
her emotion to be able to reply, she spoke in a 
hoarse whisper that told of the agony she suf- 
fered : “ I have not thought of myself so much 
as of them — my husband and children, and my 
Saviour who has died to redeem them. Think 
of it, Sisidona. He died to redeem my dear 
ones^you, and Escalus, and my little Felicita 
and Cassius,^ and yet ye know nothing, care 
nothing for it ; and shall I, now that he has 
taught me to know it, refuse to love him in re- 
turn, and tell you of his love .^” 

It will be useless to tell me of any thing 
concerning these Christians,” said her sister, 
“ and I can speak for Escalus, also ; therefore 
thou hadst better try and forget all these vain 
stories that have been imposed upon thee, and 
spare thy husband the pain and disgrace that 


A Cojifession. 55 

must follow the declaring thyself of this vile 
faith.” 

Flavia looked at her sister in surprise. She 
spoke so hard, cold, and unfeelingly that she 
could not believe it was the gentle Sisidona ; 
but nothing daunted, she said, I must tell 
Escalus every thing when he returns.” 

'' Then the gods have mercy upon thee since 
thou wilt have none upon thyself,” and with a 
deep-drawn sigh Sisidona left the room. 

Flavia passed an almost sleepless night, for 
her sister had not exaggerated the effect her 
confession was likely to make upon her hus- 
band, she knew. And yet painful, agonizing as 
the thought was that she must bring pain and 
sorrow to that loving heart, she had no thought 
of turning back from the path she had entered 
upon. It is through much tribulation we must 
enter the kingdom of light beyond the realm of 
shades,” she whispered softly to herself, “and 
my trials are light indeed compared with what 
many have to endure.” 

Flavia did not know, yet, how deeply she 
must suffer ; how heavy her cross would prove ; 
how long and weary the way would be before 
the crown was gained ; and it was well she could 
not, for at present the thought of her husband 
was enough to cause her the deepest anxiety. 


Fla VI A. 


S6 

When Escaliis returned from Loriiim, a few 
days afterward, he saw that something had hap- 
pened, and immediately asked if the children 
were well. 

‘‘Yes, they are quite well, and eagerly look- 
ing for thy visit to their room,” answered Flavia, 
forgetting her trouble for a few minutes in the 
joy of his arrival. 

“ And thou, ray Flavia, thou hast not been 
well, for thou wert not at the banquet given by 
Faustina.” 

The lady colored deeply. “ I was not at the 
banquet because — because I was otherwise en- 
gaged,” she said slowly. 

Her husband looked his surprise at her re- 
ply. “Thou wert otherwise engaged!” he re- 
peated. “ Wilt thou tell me what thou meanest, 
Flavia.^” he added somewhat sternly. 

She sat down on a cushion at his feet, and 
hid her face on his knees. “ I will tell thee 
every thing,” she said ; “ only be patient^ with 
me, Escalus — patient and merciful,” she added 
pleadingly. 

He almost started from his seat at these 
words. “ A Roman matron ask mercy at the 
hands of her husband!” he said. Then leaning 
forward he laid his hands tenderly on her head. 

“ My Flavia, thou art ill, I am sure. The 


57 


A Confession, 

accounts we have heard lately concerning the 
distress and suffering among the poor by the 
river-side have been too much for thee. But be 
comforted, dear heart ; the poor have a friend 
and father as well as an emperor in Marcus.” 

I have thought of the poor lately, Escalus, 
but not of them alone ; for many of us are 
poorer than those we deem the poorest. Thou 
rememberest the Christians who were thrown 
to the lions } We deemed them miserable, but 
they were the noblest men in Rome.” 

Her husband withdrew his hands from her 
head as she said these last words. Who has 
been talking to thee about these miserable athe- 
ists V' he asked. 

I know whereof I affirm, for I have learned 
to know and love the truth which they teach,” 
said Flavia firnily. 

She did not look up to see the effect of her 
words ; she only knew that her husband sat 
quite still without replying to her, and she could 
not see the look of agony that stole into his 
face, and how the lips settled themselves as if 
to guard every word, lest there should be any 
evidence of the mortal anguish he was called to 
endure. With arms folded, and scarcely a quick- 
ened pulse, he sat and listened, without word or 
sign, while Flavia told him what she had previ- 


Flavia. 


S8 

ously told her sister. At last she ventured to 
raise her head and look into his face, and with 
a low cry she flung herself upon his breast as 
she saw the look of agony depicted there. 

‘‘ My husband ! my Escalus ! I shall love thee 
more truly, be a better wife to thee, because 
I am a Christian.” 

But he put her from him, not roughly or pas- 
sionately, but firmly and yet with gentleness, as 
he said, “ I have no wife now. My Flavia was 
no Christian, but a noble Roman matron and 
without another word he passed from the room, 
leaving his wife in a state of grief and perplexity 
that almost deprived her of her senses. 

How long she sat leaning against the marble 
Diana she did not know, but she crept away to 
her own room at last, and when her favorite 
slave, Nerissa, came to prepare her bath, she 
found her mistress suffering so severely from a 
pain in her head as to be quite unable to rise 
from the couch on which she lay. Nerissa 
knew what had happened, and so, while she 
bathed her mistress’ throbbing temples, she 
ventured to whisper a few words of comfort and 
hope. 

The noble Escalus will relent,” she said. 
“ God will change his heart, and he, too, will be- 
come a Christian.” 


A Coiifession. 


59 


Flavia sighed. “ I am very weak and faithless, 
Nerissa,” she said.' “ I am often afraid of my- 
self, that I shall deny my Lord and Saviour.” 

It is the weak ones the Lord Christ carries 
nearest to his heart,” said the slave, “ and for 
them miracles are performed if they cannot 
otherwise be helped.” No one questioned the 
miracles of Christ in those days ; indeed, the 
early Christians had no doubt but that miracles 
were still wrought on their behalf, and so 
Nerissa had little fear for her mistress’ faithful- 
ness, or that the Gospel once known would not 
be learned by other members of the family ; and 
so, by degrees, Flavia caught something of the 
girl’s hopeful spirit, and after she had rested for 
an hour she felt so much better as to be able to 
dress for the evening meal. 

To her surprise her sister only was in the 
triclmiiim, although the supper was waiting, and 
in answer to her inquiries for Escalus, Sisidona 
said he was in attendance upon the emperor. 
How she knew this she did not say, and Flavia 
did not inquire. Very few words were spoken 
during the progress of the meal, for the slaves 
were in attendance ; but when at last the two 
ladies were left alone, Flavia told her sister that 
she had informed her husband of the change in 
her faith. 


6o 


Flavia. 


And thou couldst break one of the noblest 
hearts in Rome without feeling and without re- 
morse ! exclaimed Sisidona. “ The worst 
atheism in the world is that of these Chris- 
tians.” 

“ Escalus is angry, as I feared he would be ; 
but I shall soon convince him that to be a 
Christian is to be a better wife and mother, 
more gentle, more patient, and given less to 
pleasure,” answered Flavia. Her sister, how- 
ever, declined to discuss the subject with her, 
and finding that it was useless to try and draw 
her into conversation, Flavia went to look at the 
little fairy sleepers, and breathe a silent prayer 
to God from her children’s pillows on their be- 
half. It was her nightly custom to do this now, 
and the slave who had charge of them generally 
came to meet her mistress with a lamp, for she 
had to cross a long gallery before reaching the 
children's apartments ; but to-night she seemed 
to have forgotten her, and Flavia had to find 
her way alone. But, to her surprise, when she 
reached the rooms they, as well as the pas- 
sage, were in darkness. She moved aside the 
heavy drapery that hung before the doorway 
of several chambers, but no light was to be 
seen, and no one answered to her call. Could 
the children have been stolen ! Such thing^s 


6i 


A Confession. 

had often been heard of, and she hastened back 
to give the alarm and send for her husband at 
once. But, to her surprise, the slave to whom 
she gave this command only looked at her in 
blank amazement. “ The children are not 
stolen,’' he said, they went away with their 
slaves this afternoon.” 

“ Went away from their homes and I was 
never consulted ! ” exclaimed Flavia ; and she 
went in search of her sister. 

Sisidona confirmed the slave’s words. Feli- 
cita and Cassius had been taken away by their 
father’s order, but she did not know where they 
had gone or when they would return, or when 
Escalus himself might be expected. 

Flavia was more alarmed at the loss of her 
children than she cared to own even to herself ; 
and although she sought to encourage herself in 
hoping they would soon return, her anxiety on 
their account grew more intense as hour after 
hour passed and her husband still remained 
absent. 

Sisidona had retired to her own room, and 
most of the slaves had gone to bed ; but Flavia 
still waited in the peristyle, sometimes engaged 
in prayer, and sometimes pacing up' and down 
between the marble pillars listening to the 
plash of* the fountain in the atrium, or to the 


62 


Fla VI A. 


rumble of a distant chariot as it bore some 
wealthy citizen homeward after a late entertain- 
ment. 

But the footsteps she waited for and so 
anxiously longed to hear did not come, and at 
last, utterly weary with her long watching, Flavia 
herself retired to her room, where her faithful 
slave, Nerissa, was waiting to unrobe her. She 
too, had heard of the children's sudden depar- 
ture from home, and had judged, truly enough, 
that it was for fear their mother would teach 
them her new faith that this precaution had 
been taken. She was not altogether without 
fear on her own account either now, for several 
of her fellow-slaves had noticed that she did not 
sacrifice to the gods, or pour out the usual 
libations in their honor ; and she had overheard 
several of them talking together about this, 
and discussing whether or not their master 
should be informed of it. 

What the decision had been she did not know ; 
but if he had any cause to suspect her of hold- 
ing this Christian faith little mercy would be 
extended to her ; though what she most feared 
was the being separated from her beloved 
mistress at this time. For her sake she was 
willing to make any concession that did not in- 
volve the worship of the gods ; but to*sacrifice 


A Confession. 63 

again to them, and thus rob God of the honor 
due to him alone, was impossible. 

The fears that had arisen on her own account 
Nerissa would not impart to her mistress to- 
night. She had enough to bear in the absence 
of her children, and the displeasure of her hus- 
band and sister ; and so Nerissa spoke only 
words of hope, quoted from the word of God, 
the sacred Scriptures, with which she had care- 
fully stored her memory. 


64 


F'lavia. 


CHAPTER V. 

MARCUS AURELIUS. 

M eanwhile Escalus had returned to 
his duties at the other end of the pal- 
ace, resolving to keep the fact of his wife’s 
dishonor to himself, at least for the pres- 
ent. He was, however, surprised into taking 
the emperor into his confidence very soon after- 
ward, for Marcus Aurelius on entering the room 
was astonished to see his secretary sitting there, 
and at once divined that something must have 
happened in his own home for him to return so 
soon. A slight color stole into the bronzed 
cheek of the young Roman as the emperor 
made this inquiry in a tone of deep concern, 
and he answered, ‘H am in trouble; the gods 
have wholly forsaken me.” 

Nay, nay ; say not so, Escalus ; our gods have 
but few true worshipers now, I fear. I, who am 
chief priest as well as emperor, believe in them ; 
but many of the flamens and augurs do not ; 
and as for the people, the ignorant worship 
because they are ignorant, and most of the 
philosophers sneer at them and at the gods too, 


Marcus Aurelius. 


65 


and take Seneca for their example ; so that 
where there is a true worshiper — a true believer 
• — who, feeling the poverty of his own nature, 
looks to the gods for help, they are not likely 
to forsake such.” 

But if the one dear to thee as the gods 
themselves — dearer than life itself — forsakes 
them openly and avowedly prefers another and 
a strange god, what then ^ ” asked Escalus 
fiercely, forgetting that it was the emperor — 
the high-priest of Jupiter — who stood before 
him, and remembering him only as the faithful 
friend. 

Marcus Aurelius looked into his troubled, 
anxious face. “ It is thy wife to whom thou 
art referring. Has she joined the fashionable, 
frivolous crowd, who prefer the worship of Isis 
and Serapis to the gods of Rome he asked. 

“ Nay, if it were only that I should not be so 
troubled,” answered Escalus ; but it is these 
accursed Christians whom she has chosen to 
follow.” 

The Christians ! ” repeated the emperor. 

“ Is it possible that any Roman matron could 
wish to join so depraved and obstinate a sect ” 
‘‘ They are, indeed, obstinate,” said Escalus ; 
“ for the example made of those who were sacri- 
ficed to the lion, and vvhich ought to have de- 


66 


Flavia. 


terred every one who witnessed it from meddling 
with their dangerous doctrines, seems to have 
been the main cause of my wife joining them.” 

“Has she joined herself to these people.^” 
inquired the emperor in an incredulous tone. 

“ She has been to their church, or place of 
meeting ; she went there instead of attending 
the banquet given by the empress.” 

Marcus Aurelius looked perplexed. It was 
beyond his comprehension to understand how 
a Roman patrician lady, gentle, modest, and 
retiring as he knew Flavia was, could wish to 
consort with slaves, and the lowest and poorest 
of the people, in preference to being present at 
a brilliant assemblage of Rome’s noblest and 
most honored society. 

He paced up and down the marble-paved 
chamber, lost in thought, for several minutes, 
vainly trying to find some clew to this mystery. 
“ If thy wife had been one of our fashionable 
ladies I could have understood it better,” he 
said at length, “ for our women vie with each 
other in splendor and extravagance, even as 
men plunge headlong into the pursuit of pleas- 
ure ; and this is the death of all happiness ; and 
people grow discontented and wretched with a 
life that has nothing else to offer them, and 
eagerly seize upon any mad freak if only for a 


Marcus Aurelius, 


67 

change. It was so in the days of Seneca, and 
things have been growing worse since, so that 
men rush upon death because they have ex- 
hausted every pleasure and every vice.^’ 

“ But my Flavia was not one of these,” said 
Escalus, when the emperor paused. She 
loved the society of her children better than 
the gayest assemblage or the most splendid 
entertainment.” 

'' If ever she can be won to give up this 
detestable faith it will be through her affection 
for her children,” said the emperor. 

I have told her she shall be my wife no 
longer,” said Escalus mournfully. 

That is well. Be firm in this, and remove 
the children with their slaves for a time, lest 
she should try to imbue their young minds 
with a love of this strange god.” 

Marcus Aurelius did not mean to be unkind. 
He was one of the most gentle and amiable 
men, and he firmly believed that he was doing 
not only the wisest but the kindest thing pos- 
sible for Flavia, as well as for her husband. 
For this young secretary he felt a most sin- 
cere regard ; and, anxious that no time should 
be lost, he dispatched Escalus at once to make 
arrangements for his children’s removal from 
their mother, and at the same time ordered 


68 


Flavia. 


him to take up his abode at that end of the 
palace. 

When Escalus returned, an hour later, the 
children were already on their way to the valley 
of Aricia, and he was ready to commence any 
business the emperor might have in hand. 
There was little fear but that he would find 
abundant occupation, for the emperor himself 
was literally a hard-working man, and found em- 
ployment for several secretaries to write letters 
on the various subjects of which he took the ac- 
tive oversight himself. The state of the roads 
in various parts of the kingdom — the choice of 
just and faithful men as prefects and magis- 
trates — the equal distribution of the imperial 
allowance of corn — even the regulation of street 
traffic in the Imperial City, all came under his 
notice, besides the weightier matters concern- 
ing the government of so many and such vari- 
ous distinct provinces. 

To-day a messenger had arrived from Britain 
bringing tidings of another revolt. These 
. islanders are difficult to conquer,” remarked 
Escalus. 

They have never been entirely subdued, not 
because they were more brave or better warriors 
than the Gauls, but because Rome has grown 
feeble, and her policy toward this half-subdued 


Marcus Atcrelius, 


69 


people has varied with each of her emperors,’' 
said Marcus Aurelius. I shall follow that of 
my noble predecessor. They must be taught 
to worship the gods of Rome ; as well as to 
receive our arts and laws. There is already a 
temple dedicated to Diana in our colony of 
Londinium, and one to Apollo just beyond the 
walls ; but the islanders themselves hold fast 
to their own savage worship.” 

Each nation must have its own gods,” re- 
marked Escalus, “and it were well if each 
kept to their own ; but since the Jews first 
came to Rome, there has been trouble through 
their religion,” and he sighed as he spoke. 

“ The Jews hate these Christians as deeply as 
thou dost,” said the emperor ; and thinking it 
would be better to turn the thoughts of the sec- 
retary toward the business now claiming atten- 
tion, he directed how several letters should be 
answered so that they might be ready for him to 
seal with his own hand early in the morning. 

With the parchment spread before him, and 
the reed balanced on his finger, Escalus gave 
himself a few moments to think of the ter- 
rible cloud that had suddenly gathered over 
all his hopes of happiness. “ This will darken 
all my days,” he said half aloud ; then suddenly 
remembering that the messenger was to depart 


70 


Flavia. 


for Britain early the following morning, he 
commenced writing his letters, for some, at 
least, must be finished before he went to take 
his daily bath. 

EscaJus was a busy man, and could not find 
time to bathe more than once a day ; but many 
of the fashionable and gay young men of Rome 
bathed three or four times, spending the whole 
day from dawn to dark at the baths ; for here 
there were not only rooms for ablution, and 
slaves to assist in the dressing afterward, but 
libraries, gardens, tennis courts, and usually a 
theater, all under one roof Although these 
public baths had originally been intended for 
the use of the poorer citizens, as the wealthy 
had them in their own houses, they had grad- 
ually come to be the most popular place to 
meet with friends, pass an idle hour, or lounge 
away the whole day, as suited best, for the 
baths were convenient for either. 

As Escalus was writing he suddenly remem- 
bered that he had promised to meet a friend 
in the vestibule of the baths just beyond the 
Forum, the most fashionable and splendid in 
Rome, and patronized by many living in the 
palace in preference to those within the palace 
walls. There was little fear that Marcinius had 
left, for he was one of those gossips who spent 


Ararats Aurelius, 71 

most of their time in bathing and talking the 
fashionable scandal of the day. 

Marcinius had hinted that he had something 
of importance to tell him, and Escalus, with a 
smile at the thought of any thing being impor- 
tant that Marcinius knew, had promised to 
meet him as he desired, and now, for his word’s 
sake, he felt compelled to go, although he would 
greatly have preferred not to meet any one just 
at present. Even after he had left the palace 
he felt inclined to turn back, and at the golden 
mile-stone, near the Forum, where all the roads 
of Italy met, he turned half round to retrace his 
steps. But he felt ashamed of the indecision 
the next minute and hurried on, not pausing 
again till the marble portico of the building was 
reached. 

Here several acquaintances met Escalus, but 
he fancied their greetings were cold, and that 
they looked at him curiously. As he paused 
for a moment at the entrance to pay his money 
and receive an admission ticket he felt sure 
several of the loungers looked round after him, 
and he felt somewhat annoyed, although he 
resolved not to let any one suspect his annoy- 
ance. Marcinius, he saw, was not in the ves- 
tibule, and so Escalus strolled to a spacious 
chamber beyond, where those about to take a 


72 


Flavia. 


bath were preparing themselves for their luxuri- 
ous ablutions. 

It was a splendid room, or racher, hall ; the 
mosaic pavement was of the costliest marbles, 
while its walls were divided into panels or com- 
partments, each painted in fresco to match the 
floor, while long casements, reaching from the 
ceiling, and furnished with tinted glass, admitted 
a chastened light into every part of the room. 

As Escalus entered there was a little burst 
of applause from the crowd of loungers at the 
upper end of the room, and on going nearer 
he found that one of the numerous poets of 
the day was reading his latest production to 
an admiring audience. Escalus, however, who 
had little taste for such things, did not stay 
longer than to satisfy himself that Marcinius 
was not of the number, and then turned to 
look round among the waiting slaves for his 
friend. 

He was not to be seen, however, and so Es- 
calus began to prepare for his own bath by tak- 
ing off his clothes, which were hung on a peg 
near the entrance, and receiving from one of 
the attendant slaves a long loose robe, in which 
he passed to a second smaller chamber, which 
was heated to a voluptuous warmth. This, too, 
was nearly full ; some of those reclining in al- 


Marais A ii rcli ns. 


73 


most speechless lassitude, being about to take 
their sixth or seventh bath that day ; many of 
them so enervated as to be unable or unwilling 
to rise and greet a friend who might come in. 
Here Escalus would have to wait some little 
time before proceeding to the water bath, and 
he hoped to see Marcinius enter, for the bathers 
reclined in this chamber both before and after 
the bath. 

But Escalus was too impatient to wait long 
to-day, even in this luxurious room ; and as he 
rarely indulged in the preparatory vapor bath 
he proceeded at once to plunge into the marble 
basin of tepid or rather warm water, over which 
delicate perfumes were profusely scattered. 
Marcinius, meanwhile, who always brought his 
own slaves with him, was but in the adjoining 
chamber enjoying the additional luxury of the 
vapor bath. This was always accompanied by 
an exhalation of choice perfumes, and after it 
the bather was seized by his slaves, who scraped 
and rubbed him until he was partially cooled, 
when he too passed to the water bath, and then 
again to the heated chamber, where the real 
luxury of the whole process was commenced. 

The slaves anointed the bathers, from vials 
of gold or alabaster, with the choicest perfumes 
and unguents that the art of man could com- 


74 


Flavia. 


pound ; and while he was still undergoing this 
Escalus saw Marcinius enter from his bath, and 
he beckoned to him at once. 

The young man, who could boast of being 
more lavish of gold and more deficient in brains 
than any of his companions, languidly seated 
himself near Escalus, and said with a yawn, “I 
thought thou wert never coming.” 

I have been busy,” said Escalus curtly. 

Marcinius shrugged his shoulders. It is a 
weariness for me to get to the baths ; I would 
not be troubled with any man’s business — ” 

“ Or trade,” interrupted Escalus, with a spice 
of mischief in the tone, for he knew that in 
spite of the airs Marcinius gave himself, his 
father’s ears had been bored, and he had sat in 
the slave market, and that he gained his enor- 
mous wealth by trade, which every patrician de- 
spised and held to be ignoble. 

“ No, I would not be troubled with trade or 
business either,” said Marcinius. ‘‘ Life at the 
best is but a weariness,” and he sighed as though 
he found the burden almost insupportable. 

‘'Thou hadst a matter of some importance to 
consult me upon,” said Escalus, after a length- 
ened pause. 

“Yes, but I suppose thou hast heard it long 
since, for every body was talking of it.” 


M 2 rcHS A lire! i us. 


75 


“Talking of what ?” asked Escalus. 

“ Of thy wife,” answered Marcinius. 

Escalus started to his feet, throwing down 
two of the slaves who were anointing him. 
“ Who dared to mention the name of my wife 
he demanded. 

“ Every body is doing it — she is the talk of 
Rome^ for it is no secret that she favors these 
Christians who have brought all these calami- 
ties upon us by their impiety. Indeed, I have 
heard that she is a Christian herself,” added 
Marcinius spitefully, glad of an opportunity of 
retaliating for some of the slights and insults 
he was continually receiving from Escalus and 
other patricians. 

It was like receiving a mortal wound for Es- 
calus to hear that his pure and noble wife had 
become the common talk of these gossips. To 
many it would have been no degradation — they 
would have seen no dishonor in it ; but Escalus 
was not one of these. He made little preten- 
sion to wealth or distinction beyond what his 
patrician rank gave him ; but his grand, true, 
old-Roman sense of honor was very fine, very 
sensitive, and for men to breathe the name of 
his Flavia in their common every-day talk, was 
to tarnish her fair fame, to sully the purity of 
his spotless wife. 


76 


Flavia. 


For a moment he felt ready to strike this 
driveling son of a slave dead at his feet, but he 
curbed his passionate emotion, and bidding the 
slaves to hasten over the remainder of their 
task he turned away from Marcinius without 
uttering a word, greatly to the other’s disap- 
pointment, who longed to tell him that he him- 
self had tracked her footsteps to the deserted 
garden, where he had overheard a few whis- 
pered words that informed him of her errand 
there, and that there was a secret entrance to 
the Catacombs close at hand. 

All this he had intended to tell Escalus and 
watch how he received this tale of dishonor ; 
but the patrician had turned proudly away with- 
out asking a single question, and so the infor- 
mation was given unasked to a neighbor on the 
other side, but loud enough for Escalus to hear 
some portion of it before he escaped to the 
outer room beyond the reach of his tormentor’s 
voice. 


Persecution, 


77 


CHAPTER VI. 

PERSECUTION. 

S LOWLY and thoughtfully Escalus retraced 
his steps toward the palace, gloomily 
pondering over the bitter disgrace his wife had 
brought upon him. That men like Marcinius 
should have the power of stinging him as he 
had that day been stung was well nigh unen- 
durable to the proud patrician, and he almost 
wished he could leave Rome, that no one might 
again be. able to point to him and say his wife 
was a Christian. 

Still pondering thus he reached the Palatine 
Hill, and as he passed the entrance leading to 
his own dwelling he paused for a minute to 
consider whether he should go in and see Flavia, 
to reproach her for what she had done, and try 
to persuade her to refute the accusation that 
had been brought against her by publicly sacrific- 
ing in the temple of Jupiter the next day. He 
feared, however, that the attempt would be use- 
less when he considered how obstinate these 
Christians always proved, and he resolved to 
give up the attempt for the present, hoping that 


78 


Flavia. 


the absence of himself and the children would 
prove sufficient to induce her to give up this 
new faith very shortly. 

He remembered, before retiring to rest, that 
he would have to attend the emperor in the 
Forum early the next morning, and that he 
had heard that there would be several difficult 
cases brought up for judgment. He, there- 
fore, finished writing his letters, and placed his 
waxen tablets and stylus all ready for use the 
next day, for he knew that Marcus Aurelius was 
no sluggard and would be at the Forum early. 

It was a grand and imposing procession that 
passed up the Capitoline Hill to the parent 
temple of the city, for Marcus Aurelius would 
not sit in judgment upon any man until he had 
sacrificed to the gods ; and so, in the white 
vestments of his office as high-priest, attended 
by his twelve lictors, and followed by the equi- 
ties, magistrates, and assessors, in their robes, 
he went to the Temple of Jupiter. Here, in 
the center of the temple, with Juno on his right 
and Minerva on his left side, the Thunder was 
seated on a throne of gold, grasping the light- 
ning with one hand, and in the other wielding 
the scepter of the universe. The whole temple 
was ablaze with gold and jewels ; the plunder 
of the world was lavished here ; and the igno- 


Persecution. 79 

rant multitudes might well stand in awe when 
they ventured to approach their guardian deity. 
Around the temple stood crowds of cattle 
wreathed with garlands of flowers, while on the 
steps and in the porticoes were groups of white- 
robed priests, flamen, and augurs, employed in 
various parts of the temple service, and looking 
with supreme disdain and contempt upon those 
who came to bring their offerings and seek some 
help ill their distress from this mighty ruler of 
the world. All, however, stood aside as the high- 
priest slowly ascended the long flight of steps, 
and men bowed their heads as much before the 
man as the priest and emperor, for all recognized 
in Marcus Aurelius a purity and virtue such as 
the world has rarely seen. When the temple 
service was over he hastened to lay aside his 
robes as maximus p 07 itifex, and now, arrayed 
in the imperial purple, bordered with gold, he 
proceeded to the Forum to hear such cases as 
came within the province of a chief-justice. 

Seated in the judgment hall, a prisoner was 
brought before him who had appealed to be 
heard by him in a case on the merits of which 
the other judges of Rome could not agree. By 
an ancient law it was decreed that if a prisoner 
was met by the vestal virgins while on his way 
to prison he was to be set at liberty. This a 


8o 


Flavia. 


prisoner had claimed, but his claim was refused. 
He had been arrested for debt and was thrown 
into prison, notwithstanding that a sacred pro- 
cession of the six virgins from the temple of 
Vesta passed him on his way thither ; and he 
now appealed to Cesar, as judge, to decide the 
case. Before judgment could be given, however, 
the other side must be heard, and the creditor 
had employed an orator to do this, so that it 
seemed very unlikely that a poor man who 
could only state the facts for himself would be 
successful. The orator began by stating that 
the prisoner was a vine-dresser of Aricia, and 
had been able to support his family in comfort 
before he got acquainted with some miserable 
tufa diggers, who had taught him the atheism 
that brought ruin on himself and hundreds of 
others. He hath boldly declared that he is a 
Christian now,” went on the orator, “ and hav- 
ing called the gods of Rome demons, he hath 
no right to claim mercy in the name of any of 
their priestesses.” 

This was the sum total of the defense, and 
the orator looked round for the support of the 
bystanders as he finished speaking. The em- 
peror himself looked perplexed, but the people 
were troubled with no doubts upon the matter, 
and there was an ominous mutter of, “ The 


Persecution, 


8i 


Christian to the lions, or Rome will be ruined ! 
This cry, however, was instantly stopped, and 
Marcus Aurelius asked the man what he had 
to say to the charge. 

*'1 am a Christian, it is true,” he replied ; 
“ but I am a Roman likewise, and claim the 
protection of her laws.” 

Nay, but being an atheist — a believer in a 
foreign god whom Rome will never acknowl- 
edge — thou dost forfeit all the privileges of a 
Roman freeman,” interrupted the orator. 

But I am expected to obey her laws ; nay, I 
have no wish to disobey them,” said the man ; 
‘‘ for my Divine master himself hath taught us 
to ‘ Render therefore unto Cesar the things 
which are Cesar’s, and unto God the things 
that are God’s.’ I, therefore, have appealed 
unto Cesar. I am willing to pay all my debt if 
thou art patient with me ; but since my vines 
have been destroyed I have not been able to 
do more than earn a morsel of bread for my 
wife and children by tufa digging, and how, 
then, shall I pay this debt } ” 

“ The man speaks reasonably enough,” said 
Marcus Aurelius ; '' thou dost admit that the 
sacred virgins met him, and by that meeting 
he was free ; wherefore, then, have ye detained 
him.?” 


82 


Flavia. 


Because he was a Christian,” the orator 
ventured to reply. 

Marcus Aurelius frowned. would that 
they served the gods of Rome ; they do not, 
to their loss ; but it shall not be that by this 
they lose their rights as Roman citizens. I 
demand that they obey the laws of Rome, and I 
claim for them the protection of the law. The 
man is free.” Having said which the emperor 
resumed his seat amid the silence of the peo- 
ple, while the prisoner, with a lightened heart, 
hastened to join his friends outside. 

Escalus sat near the emperor taking notes 
of the case, and was greatly disturbed when he 
heard that the man was a Christian. He had 
known him some years, known him to be an 
earnest believer in the gods, and yet he had 
embraced this infamous faith. What was the 
charm in it ? Was it simply infatuation that 
made people willing to endure disgrace and 
endless small persecutions from friends and 
neighbors for the sake of it } or was there really 
another God greater than Jupiter, as these peo- 
ple pretended ? This thought was scouted 
nearly as soon as it arose, and Escalus almost 
despised himself for having even momentarily 
questioned the power of their great deity. 

There was, however, another and a nearer 


PersectUion. 


83 


cause for being disturbed by the fact of this 
vine-dresser having become a Christian, for his 
wife was the sister of Flavia’s maid, Nerissa, and 
she often visited their cottage while they lived 
at Aricia, and might have learned something of 
this detestable doctrine there. Could it be pos- 
sible that his wife had thus been contaminated. 
He resolved to question the vine-dresser him- 
self about this, for he had no doubt but that the 
decision of the emperor would be against him, 
and he would be able to visit him while in the 
prison. Escalus was as much astonished, there- 
fore, as every one else when he found that the 
man was set at liberty ; but he was so deter- 
mined to find out what so intimately concerned 
him.self that he resolved to discover where he 
lived and go there to question him about it. 
Perhaps, too, he might discover what the secret 
rites of these Christians were ; for it might be 
that his children were in danger of being sacri- 
ficed to this God whom they worshiped, and who 
demanded human sacrifices on his altar. 

Full of this thought, Escalus quitted the 
Forum as soon as the business of the day was 
over, and leaving the region of the palace behind, 
he plunged into the booth-lined streets, and 
made his way to the poorest quarter of the 
town, where many of the tufa diggers lived. 


84 


Fla VI A. 


Escalus shivered at the desolation that reigned 
in this quarter of the town. The river had 
rushed from its proper bed, and sweeping down 
every tenement, had left it a heap of ruins, 
plowing the ground into holes, and half bury- 
ing the wrecks of the miserable dwellings in 
sand and mud. It had receded now, and the 
poor creatures who had thus been driven from 
their homes were venturing back again to see 
what could be saved from the general ruin. 
Men were digging out beams of wood to con- 
struct other dwellings, while the women pulled 
out articles of furniture, bronze and earthen 
pots, though most of the latter were broken and 
useless. 

Escalus asked one of the men if he knew a 
vine-dresser who had lately come from Aricia 
to live in that neighborhood. For a moment 
the man looked at him questioningly, and then 
a dark frown gathered on his brow. 

“ Thou, too, art one of those who have pro- 
voked the anger of our gods and brought this 
misery upon us,'’ he said fiercely. 

Nay, by the helmet of Cesar, I love not 
these Christians,” answered Escalus. 

But this vine-dresser whom ye seek is a 
Christian,” said the man. 

‘'Ye know him, then,” said Escalus impa- 


Persecution. 


85 


tiently ; “ is he, too, laboring here,” and he 
looked round upon the other groups as he 
spoke. 

“ Nay, nay ; but we have driven those Chris- 
tians from among us, and they have began to 
clear a space lower down ; ’* and as he spoke he 
pointed in the direction where the river had 
made a wider sweep, and seemed to have done 
even more damage than where they were 
standing. 

Escalus did not wait to ask for further direc- 
tion, but walked on between the holes and 
hillocks and scattered wrecks of houses toward 
the spot indicated. Miserable, indeed, was the 
aspect of every thing here. The river, in retreat- 
ing, had left the place full of little pools and 
lakes, while it had swept almost every thing 
portable away in its resistless flow ; and if the 
little colony of Christians wanted to build their 
house^’, or rather hovels, again, they would have 
to go elsewhere for material, for there were 
none to be had there. 

Escalus noticed this, and at the same time 
remarked that, in spite of all these difficulties, 
the men who were there seemed to be working 
heartily, and even cheerfully. A temporary shed 
had already been put up for the accommodation 

of the women and children, and these, with the 
6 


86 


Flavia. 


old and infirm, seemed to be tenderly cared for. 
Stepping up to one of the old men, who was 
hobbling about on a stick and doing what he 
could to help carry a log to its place, he asked 
if he knew Plautius, the vine-dresser. 

“Yes, indeed, I do,’' answered the man, “for 
he hath been a good friend to me, although so 
poor and unfortunate himself, for — ” 

But Escalus was in no mood to listen to the 
praises of one who was said to be a Christian, 
and hastily interrupted him, saying, 

“ Lead me to him, old man,” at the same time 
holding out a handful of sesterces as payment. 
But the old man shook his head at the proffered 
reward. • 

“ No, no,” he said, “ I am poor, it is true, but 
I have left off begging, and began to labor 
with my own hands since I have learned to 
love the Lord Christ.” 

“ Lead me to Plautius and hold thy peace,” 
said Escalus impatiently. 

“ I can' lead thee to his wife, but Plautius 
himself is at work to-day,” said the old man. 

“ Nay, but he was brought before the em- 
peror this morning,” said Escalus. 

“And he went to his work of tufa digging at 
noon. He has a wife and children to feed, and 
there are houses to be built by those who un- 


Persecution. 


87 


derstand the work, so that all who can must go 
to the Catacombs to supply the place of those 
who are building.” 

While he had been speaking his guide had 
led the way to a large lean-to, or shed, where 
there was a party of women and children, some 
nursing their infants, some mending a pile of 
tattered garments that lay beside them, while 
one or two were making coarse barley cakes and 
baking them in the ashes of a large fire near 
the entrance. But although they were thus 
variously engaged, they were all singing in 
concert with the children, who here gathered in 
a group around an old man whom they seemed 
to regard with reverence and affection. 

The wife of Plautius saw Escalus approaching 
and rose to meet him, fearing something must 
have happened to her sister. She looked 
slightly confused as he paused at the entrance, 
and a vision of their comfortable cottage in the 
valley rose before her. 

“Things have changed with us, most noble 
Escalus,” she said by way of apology, finding 
that he did not speak. 

“ Changed, indeed ! All things are changing, 
I wot, since the gods of Rome are to be hurled 
from their seats to make room for this Jewish 
impostor who was crucified like a vile slave 


88 


Flavia. 


under Pontius Pilate,” said Escalus, with angry 
emphasis. 

“They are not gods but demons, and the 
Lord Christ must reign supreme,” said the 
woman half timidly. 

Escalus smiled in derision. The idea was 
too absurd, too preposterous, for him to contra- 
dict, and he said, 

“ I came not to talk of this foolishness which 
thou callest Christianity, but to ask some ques- 
tions ; but Plautius, I hear, hath gone to work 
in the Catacombs.” 

“ Yes, now that he is at liberty again he is 
glad to help, for we have been kept by the 
brethren while he was in prison,” replied the 
woman. “ But if I can answer thy questions I 
will do so.” 

Escalus looked at her doubtfully. “ Thou 
wilt swear by the gods to tell me truly, what I 
ask,” he said. 

“Nay, I cannot swear ; but a Christian ever 
speaks the truth,” answered the woman. 

“ Then thou wilt tell me truly whether 
Nerissa, my slave, hath learned aught of these 
new doctrines from thee or thy husband,” said 
Escalus. 

She smiled a little at the question. 

“ My sister came to our cottage to teach, not 


Persecution. 


89 


to learn,” she answered. Nerissa is a slave in 
thy household, most noble Escalus, but she hath 
long been a free-born citizen of the kingdom 
of light, and sought to bring us to a knowledge 
of the same truths ; but all her efforts were in 
vain until we saw the courage of the martyrs 
who were sacrificed to the lion, and from that 
day both my husband and myself have believed 
this to be the truth of God.” 

How much more the woman might have 
said Escalus did not wait to hear ; but, turning 
away with an impatient gesture of disgust, he 
hurried back to the Palatine Hill. 

They are certainly a strange people — the 
strangest people in the world,” he muttered ; 
‘‘ the very thing that would deter most people 
from embracing their faith seems to prove an 
attraction to them. Nerissa, too, is a Christian 
— the most faithful and trustworthy slave of my 
household hath embraced this detestable faith, 
and my- wife hath joined in its awful mysteries. 
I may well complain that the gods have for- 
saken me,” he added with a deep-drawn sigh. 


90 


Fla VI A. 


CHAPTER VII. 

THROUGH EVIL REPORT. 

S LOWLY the hours dragged along to Flavia, 
who waited for tidings of her husband and 
children, and yet dared not ask for either in the 
presence of her slaves — dared not show that 
she was anxious about them, except to the 
trusted Nerissa, for fear they should suspect 
what had taken place. Sisidona was busy about 
her own concerns, for she was soon to become 
the wife of Claudius Rufus, who had accom- 
panied them to the Coliseum, and to whom 
Flavia had given a word of mock warning con- 
cerning her sister becoming a Christian. The 
young lady was now somewhat perplexed as to 
whether she ought to inform Claudius of what 
had taken place, and while two or three slaves 
were busying themselves about her hair while 
she sat in front of the bright steel mirror and 
watched their performance, she was debating 
with herself whether she could confess that her 
sister had brought disgrace upon the whole 
family. 

‘H ought to tell him, I suppose,” she thought. 


Through Evil Report. 91 

“ Hand me that box of gold dust,” said her 
principal tirewoman to a slave. 

Don’t spare the gold,” said Sisidona, for 
Claudius loves to see my hair shine and glisten.” 

“ Nothing can be more becoming to my beau- 
tiful mistress than this last fashion of doing the 
hair in the form of a helmet!” exclaimed the 
woman in pretended rapture as she proceeded 
to shake the shining dust adroitly in among the 
coils of fair hair. 

Sisidona surveyed the cumbrous pile of false 
and real hair with a smile of satisfaction. Yes, 
I like it very well. Hath Escalus returned yet } ” 
she asked ; for if her brother-in-law did not 
bring her lover home with him to-day all this 
trouble would be wasted. 

“ Nay, my noble master hath gone with the 
emperor to the Forum,” answered the woman, 
putting in another silver bodkin to secure the 
pile from toppling over. 

By the time Sisidona’s dress was all arranged 
the emperor would have returned to the palace, 
she knew, and therefore Escalus might be ex- 
pected shortly, and so the young lady went to 
the peristyle to await his coming, amusing her- 
self meanwhile with a couple of tame serpents. 
These were the favorite pets of Escalus and his 
wife, and Sisidona knew that her brother-in-law 


92 


Flavia. 


would stay to caress them as soon as he en- 
tered, and during this time she hoped to learn 
what he purposed doing in the present state of 
affairs, and to ask his advice about informing 
Claudius of Flavia s disgrace. 

But, to her surprise, an hour passed, and still 
Escalus did not come. She grew tired of play- 
ing with the serpents, and the slave who had 
charge of them carried them back to their cage, 
and Sisidona went to her sister’s chamber to 
inquire about Escalus. 

But Flavia could tell her nothing. She, too, 
had dressed in anticipation of his arrival, but 
he had not come ; and she had noticed that 
there was a great deal of mysterious whispering 
among the slaves this morning, and she men- 
tioned this to her sister. 

Then they suspect thee,” said Sisidona ; 
and if thou dost not soon prove to them that 
thou art a faithful worshiper of Jupiter, by sacri- 
ficing to him, all Rome will hear of thy disgrace 
and degradation.” 

All Rome may hear that I am a Christian, 
but it is no disgrace — no degradation,” said 
Flavia calmly. 

Sisidona looked at her pale, placid face, and 
wondered what could give her strength to en- 
dure, for that she was suffering deeply she could 


93 


Throjtgh Evil Report, 

see, although she made no remark about the 
absence of her husband and children. For a 
moment Sisidona s heart was touched with pity 
for her sister, but the next minute she had 
steeled it with the thought that it was only 
her own obstinacy that caused this, and that it 
might also bring disgrace and sorrow not only 
on her husband and children, but on all con- 
nected with her ; and she was just turning away 
without having uttered a word of comfort or 
sympathy, when the heavy curtain before the 
entrance was hastily pushed aside, and Nerissa 
rushed in panting and frightened. “ Save me ! 
save me ! ” she gasped, throwing herself at her 
mistress’ feet. 

“What is it what hath happened asked 
Flavia in a voice scarcely less agitated. 

“ Speak quickly, Nerissa,” commanded Sisi- 
dona. “ Dost thou not see that thou art making 
thy mistress ill } ” 

“My master, my master!” gasped the girl, 
and she burst into tears. 

Flavia knowing how much cause she had to 
fear discovery and disgrace, looked down upon 
her pityingly, but her sister grew impatient. 

“ I will go myself to the atrium and discover 
what hath happened, Flavia,” she said ; “ and if 
it is only some foolish quarrel with the other 


94 


Flavia. 


slaves, I would have her punished if I were her 
mistress.” 

When the two were left alone Nerissa raised 
her streaming eyes to the lady’s face and ven- 
tured to kiss her hand. My master hath dis- 
covered that I am a Christian,” she said, “ and 
hath sold me.” 

The lady started, and almost fell to the ground. 
^‘Sold thee!” she repeated. 

‘‘Yes, I am sold to a Thessalian slave-mer- 
chant,” answered Nerissa, trying to conquer 
her emotion. 

Flavia could not speak. She was powerless 
to help the poor girl who had served her so 
faithfully, and whom she had learned to love as 
her sister in Christ in spite of their difference 
in rank, and she covered her face with her 
hands and groaned aloud. “ My poor girl, my 
poor Nerissa,” she managed to say at last, “I 
can but pray for thee, as thou wilt pray for me. 
Surely the Lord Christ will not tarry long. He 
will speedily come in glory and convince the 
world that he is the King of all the earth, and 
that idols must perish before him,” she added 
quickly. 

Nerissa shook her head. “ I know not, I 
cannot tell,” she said. “ The brethren have 
hoped and believed the Lord was at hand for 


Through Evil Report, 


95 


many weary years, and still he doth not come/' 
There was a touch of impatience in the tone, 
and her mistress detected it. 

“The Lord Christ is more patient than we 
are,” she said. “The brethren would have no 
delay, but what would become of me and many 
others who are learning thus late to believe in 
and love him. Nerissa, it may be in mercy he 
thus tarries. It may be that the world is to 
learn slowly, instead of all at once, that the 
Lord Christ is the Saviour of men.” 

“Nay, but look at the temple of Jupiter and 
our bare chamber in the Catacombs. Nothing 
less than the overpowering glory of our King 
can throw down the one and exalt the other 
to its place.” 

“ But think, Nerissa, of the hundreds and 
thousands who worship Jupiter,” said the lady 
with a shiver of fear as she reflected that her 
husband, and the emperor, and many of Rome’s 
bravest and noblest sons would cleave the 
closer to this fallen idol, because they would 
not forsake a failing cause. “It may be in 
mercy the Lord delays his coming,” she added. 
“ It may be that he would rather convert men 
by his grace than convince them merely by his 
power and glory.” 

“ But it is the hope of all the Church every- 


96 


Flavia. 


where — this speedy coming of our Lord/’ per- 
sisted Nerissa. ^^We constantly pray for it, 
too,” she added, and, therefore, we ought to ex- 
pect it, for he will surely fulfill his promise.” 

Yes, he will fulfill his promise, and we ought 
to pray for and expect his appearing, but we 
should pray in patience and wait in patience,” 
said Flavia gently. 

Nerissa looked up. She had been the teacher 
and her mistress the scholar hitherto, but they 
seemed all at once to have changed places. 
The lady noticed the look and tried to smile. 

“ The Lord Christ will be my teacher now, 
Nerissa,” she said. “I think he began his teach- 
ing last night, when I was sorrowing so sorely 
for my husband and children. I shall need him 
to be my teacher now,” she went on with a 
quiver in her voice, ‘Tor kind and faithful as 
thou art, my Nerissa, thou knowest not the pain 
of being separated from those so near and dear ; 
and I greatly fear my Escalus will keep his 
word, now, unless the Lord should change his 
heart, as he hath changed mine.” 

‘‘ My noble mistress, forgive me for my self- 
ishness in coming to thee with my trouble, when 
thou hast so much more to bear,” said Nerissa. 

“We each have our own burdens to bear, 
our own cross to carry ; but although I might 


TJu'oiLgh Evil Report. 


97 


sink beneath thine, and thou under mine, the 
Lord Christ can help us each,” said the lady 
tenderly. “ Farewell, Nerissa,” she added as 
the curtain was again drawn aside. The Lord 
Christ watch between us until we meet again, 
and bless thee for all thou hast taught me ! ” 

The slave who had entered with a message 
from her master forgot her errand, and stood as 
if transfixed as she heard these words, and saw 
the loving caress her mistress bestowed upon 
Nerissa. 

The poor girl guessed the import of her 
errand. I am coming,” she said, choking 
back her sobs and slowly rising to her feet. 

My master is in haste to depart,” said the 
slave, ‘‘and desires thy presence in the atrium,” 
and she left the apartment, while Nerissa once 
more bade her mistress a sorrowful farewell. 

Lonely, indeed, the lady would be when her 
faithful slave had gone, for it was all too evident 
from the message sent that her husband had 
no intention of coming himself to her chamber, 
and she hardly knew whether to seek him yet, 
or to wait patiently until his anger had some- 
what cooled toward her. She resolved to wait 
awhile, and then if he left his home again 
she would question Sisidona as to what had 
passed, for she would doubtless have heard all 


98 


Flavia. 


about it. She would inquire, too, which of 
the slaves had betrayed Nerissa’s secret, for 
that it was one of their own household she had 
not the least doubt. 

With this intention she entered her sister’s 
room an hour or two later, and at her request 
Sisidona dismissed the slave in attendance for 
a few minutes, telling her to come in again 
when she should clap her hands, as she wished 
to make some alteration in her dress before 
going to the other end of the palace. 

Art thou going to Escalus ? asked Flavia, 
a faint color stealing into her cheeks as she 
spoke. 

“Yes,” answered Sisidona. “There is an 
entertainment in the circus given by the em- 
press,” and she went to her casket of jewels 
and took out those she intended to wear. 

“ Did Escalus have any message for me, or 
say any thing about the children ? ” Flavia 
ventured to ask. 

“ He said the children would not return yet — 
not until thou hadst given up all thou hadst 
learned from thy slave Nerissa.” 

“ Who betrayed Nerissa’s secret — which of 
our slaves ? ” asked the lady eagerly. 

Sisidona’s face flushed at the question. “ I 
wish our household slaves had told their master 


Through Evil Report, 99 

this secret,” she said, '' instead of letting it be- 
come the talk of Rome.” 

‘‘ My sister, what meanest thou ? ” asked Fla- 
via, in surprise. 

Art thou so much astonished to hear this ! ” 
exclaimed the young lady. “I can tell thee 
more than this, Flavia ; thou thyself art the 
common talk at the baths and in the streets. 
Every body hath heard of our disgrace, and — ” 
Peace, Sisidona ! ” interrupted her sister. 

I am a Christian, it is true ; but it is no dis- 
grace to become a servant of the King of 
kings.” 

A merry mocking laugh greeted this reply. 

Thy King of kings will never reign in Rome,” 
said the young lady. Thy Church of the 
Catacombs will never dare to show its head 
above ground.” 

“ Nay, but when the names of Jupiter and 
Apollo are forgotten, that of Christ will be a 
power greater than any the world has yet seen,” 
answered Flavia ; for he will reign from the 
rising to the setting sun, and all the world will 
trust in him as their Saviour God.” 

“ Thou art certainly very strange,’’ said her 
sister, gazing at the earnest face, and forgetting 
either to pity or deride her for a minute or two. 

Flavia saw her opportunity. O, my sister. 


lOO 


Flavia. 


if thou couldst but know the blessedness of 
those who have taken Christ as their Saviour, 
believing he is their sin and sorrow bearer, thou 
wouldst seek to know him for thyself, and — ” 

“ Nay, nay, Flavia, I must not listen to this,'’ 
interrupted her sister ; “and thou must try to 
forget all thou hast learned concerning this 
Jewish impostor, now that Nerissahath gone.” 

“ Poor Nerissa ! where have they taken her ? ” 
asked P'lavia. 

“ Escalus hath sold her, as she doubtless told 
thee, for it was useless to try and beat this 
atheism out of her,” replied Sisidona, and clap- 
ping her hands, she summoned her waiting- 
maid to assist her in dressing, hoping her sister 
would not try to introduce the subject of her 
religion into their conversation again, for she 
had promised Escalus not to attempt any thing 
like argument with her upon it. 

Her husband hoped that by selling Nerissa, 
and depriving his wife of the society of her 
children for some time, she would forget the 
strange doctrines she had learned. He hoped, 
too, that the scandal concerning her visit to the 
Catacombs would die out and be forgotten ; 
and that he might not hear it mentioned again 
he took care not to go to the baths, where all the 
subjects of discussion was the foremost gossip of 


Thviigh Evil Repo7^t. loi 

the day. In both these expectations, however, 
he was disappointed. Flavia’s non-appearance 
at the fashionable temples was remarked and 
commented upon, and, although this might have 
been forgotten if she had attended the usual 
entertainments with her husband, her long- 
continued absence, coupled with the fact that 
Escalus did not reside in the same quarter 
of the palace as his wife, made the whole 
affair such a mystery that people were 
always making inquiries of him or Sisidona 
concerning the absent lady. These inquiries it 
was difficult enough to answer for some time ; 
but at length they could say truly enough that 
Flavia was ill, for the brave spirit had suc- 
cumbed at last, or rather the weak flesh had 
given way under the long-continued neglect 
and unkindness of her husband, and she had, 
as she thought, lain down on her couch to die. 

Escalus was greatly alarmed when he heard 
of the dangerous condition of his wife. He 
had never seen her since the day she had con- 
fessed to being a Christian, and he was startled 
at the change these weeks of anxiety and sor- 
row had wrought in her when he ventured into 
her chamber one day while she was asleep. 

Sisidona ! ” he said, in an agonized whisper ; 
we must save her at any cost. I will order a 


102 


Flavia. 


costly sacrifice to be made at the Temple of 
Fortune, and will inquire of the physician the 
special cause of this illness, and, whatever it 
may be, it shall be removed ! ” He winced as 
he said this, for Sisidona had been the bearer 
of more than one message from his wife pray- 
ing that their children might be restored to her. 
But the same message had always been returned : 
she must give up this new-found God if she 
wished to see her children, and if she loved him 
more than them, they would be better at a dis- 
tance from her. Each time the request came, and 
this reply was returned : Escalus hoped and ex- 
pected she would give up what he considered a 
mere obstinate idea ; and when he found it was 
not, he tried to persuade himself that Flavia 
was heartless, and had little love for either him- 
self or their children. 

To see her, therefore, prostrate through the 
sufferings so silently and patiently borne that 
no one knew she had suffered at all was a shock 
to him, and he grew hourly more anxious as she 
continued to grow worse rather than better. 
Her physician in attendance prescribed herbs 
and charms, but without effect ; and at last 
Sisidona ventured to suggest that the children 
should be sent for, a suggestion that was in- 
stantly complied with. This proved more 


TfuviigJi Evil Report. 103 

efficacious than any thing else, and Flavia grad- 
ually began to regain strength. At one time it 
was thought that her illness had effected what 
her husband so ardently desired, but they were 
soon undeceived, for she positively refused to 
pour out a libation to the gods. But Escalus 
had resolved to leave her alone in the matter of 
religion, and, if she still persevered in her de- 
termination to be a Christian, to seek from the 
emperor an appointment in one of the prov- 
inces, and leave Rome forever. 


104 


Fla VIA. 


CHAPTER VIII. 

IN THE CATACOMBS. 

HE little colony of Christians who had 



JL been driven to seek for new homes in a 
locality where they were least likely to find 
what they needed, owing to the havoc the 
river had made in that direction, had raised a 
few hovels of stones and mud, wood and thatch ; 
but although they shared with each other all 
their earnings, and all that a few had managed 
to save from the general wreck around them, it 
was a hard struggle to keep famine at bay dur- 
ing the cold, wintery days that followed closely 
upon the inundation. 

Their neighbors, less poor and far less de- 
serving, obtained frequent supplies of corn and 
meal from the imperial granaries ; but viewed, 
as they were, as the cause of the prevailing 
distress, the poor Christians dared not make 
their wants known lest it should rouse the 
anger of their enemies against them into a more 
active display of violence than they had yet 
suffered. Insults and injuries they constantly 
had to endure ; but these early followers of 


hi the Catacombs, 


105 


Christ took the import of the divine word 
literally, and when they were struck “ on one 
cheek turned the other also,” believing that 
the revelation of their true rank, as sons and 
daughters of the Lord God Almighty, was close 
at hand, when they would be exalted and their 
enemies confounded. Such marvelous meek- 
ness under wrongs unjustly inflicted only ex- 
asperated some, but far more were so overcome 
by it that they sought to know more of this re- 
ligion that could bring forth such fruit, and so 
it sometimes happened that not only wool- 
carders and tufa diggers, but one and another 
from the wealthy patrician families of Rome, 
crept to their little church underground to learn 
something of the wonderful love of Christ dy- 
ing to redeem them. 

Winter passed away at last, but sickness 
came with the warm spring days, and one of the 
first attacked was the fair-haired girl of Plau- 
tius, the vine-dresser. The child had not been 
strong since they left their home in the valley, 
and a few days’ sickness carried her to the 
land where there is no sorrow nor sickness. 
Plautius tried to subdue his grief as became a 
Christian ; he did not talk of throwing himself 
into the Tiber, or blame any one for the death of 
his child, as one of his fellow-laborers was doing 


io6 


Flavia. 


at the same time, but he did not love her less. 
He felt his loss most keenly, but he had the 
hope of meeting his beloved child again : a hope 
that was laughed at and derided when he ven- 
tured to mention it to his comrade while they 
were at work, for, whatever their grief might 
be, they must go to work still. And as they 
dug out the tufa side by side they each decided 



to smooth and level the niche on which they 
were working, and, as it would not be dug any 
further in that direction, to lay the remains of 


In the Catacombs. 


107 


their children there, one in each, and over each 
they would place some mark, for neither could 
afford to buy wood to burn the bodies, as they 
would if they were wealthy. Plautius was not 
a learned man ; he could neither read nor write, 
and so he had to content himself with cutting 
a representation of a vine, with one branch of 
grapes severed from the parent stem. The 
idea of thus distinguishing his daughter’s grave 
was by no means original. A shoemaker had 
been buried a short time before, and his friends 
had cut the likeness of a pair of slippers, by 
way of epitaph ; and more than one of those 
engaged in digging had chosen the niche for 
their own grave, and cut the images of their 
tools upon the stone above. 

The companion of Plautius in sorrow, how- 
ever, could boast of having received a liberal 
education in his youth, and so he set to work to 
cut not only the name of his son, but a long 
tirade against the gods who had deprived him 
of his presence. “ Cruel and relentless, ye have 
snatched him from a father’s side, to plunge 
him in the darkness of the land of shades, where 
I shall never see him more.” This was how 
the epitaph concluded, and Plautius might well 
pity the despairing heart of the father who 
could write such bitter words as these. Seeing, 


io8 


Flavia. 


however, that his fellow-workman could write, 
Plautius resolved to ask him to make an addi- 
tion to his inscription by placing underneath 
these words : ‘‘She rests in peace/’ 

The man stared when asked to place these 
words above a grave ; “ In peace — at rest,” he 
repeated. 

“Yes, she rests in Christ, and is at peace,” 
replied Plautius ; “ and whenever I pass this 
way I shall love to think that my Irene sleeps 
in the grave my own hands dug.*^ 

“ I shall never come here to work again after 
ray son is laid here,” said the sorrow-stricken 
father. I must forget I ever had a son, or I 
shall curse the gods that I did not die with him,” 
he continued, and hurried away before a word 
of comfort could be spoken; 

Little Irene was laid to rest one bright spring 
day, and the following week her brother was 
laid beside her ; and at the same time the min- 
ister of the Church and his wife were borne 
to their last resting-place by the members of 
their sorrowful flock. These were laid near 
the entrance of the church, and above was cut 
a phonetic sign that might well puzzle the 
uninitiated, but would tell of faith and hope 
and joy to every Christian who should pass that 
way. A circle was first drawn to represent 


hi the Catacombs. 109 

eternity, and across this was a line on 
which was cut transversely the letter 
to indicate piscis, or fish, the letters 
of which this word was composed being in Greek 
IX0T2, initial letters of ''Jesus Christ, God’s 
Son, the Saviour.” The P, being on the trans- 
verse line, formed the sign of the cross. There 
was yet another message conveyed to the 
hearts of mourning friends. Their Lord and 
Saviour had distinctly stated that he was " the 
first and the last, the beginning and the end,’' 
and so the Alpha and Omega, the first and last 
letters of the Greek alphabet, were likewise 
inclosed in the circle. 

This, therefore, was what they could read in 
the sign of the circle with its hieroglyphics : 
"Jesus Christ, God’s Son, the Saviour, died on 
the cross, yet* lives throughout eternity, for 
he is the first and the last, the beginning and 
the end.” 

The hearts of these poor Christians sorely 
needed all the comfort their faith could give 
them, for there was scarcely a family where 
death had not entered. When, therefore, the 
time for their usual agape, or love-feast, came 
round, many looked forward to it as a season of 
soul-refreshing strength and comfort. Only 
those who had been admitted into the Church 



I 10 


Flavia. 


by baptism were permitted to partake of this, 
any more than of the Lord’s supper, which it 
not unfrequently followed. It was scarcely a 
feast ” in the modern sense of that word, for 
it was never other than a frugal meal, usually 
of bread, wine, and a dish of herbs, which were 
spread on a small table in the center, and around 
which, but some distance away, sat the guests, 
the men on one side, the women on the other. 
Following literally the apostolic injunction, they 
greeted each other with the kiss of charity on 
entering, and as soon as all were assembled 
prayer was offered, a hymn sung, and then, 
while they partook of the meal, matters relating 
to the Church were discussed freely. 

It was not strange that at this spring agape 
the subject of discussion should be the resur- 
rection, and out of this grew the memorable 
visit of Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, who had 
traveled to Rome a few years previously to con- 
fer with the bishop, Anicetus, upon the subject 
of keeping the paschal feast ; for the beloved 
disciple, John, Polycarp’s teacher, had always 
observed the Jewish rule regarding this day^ and, 
counting the fourteenth day of the moon after 
the spring equinox, had kept this in memory of 
the great sacrifice of the Lamb of God, and the 
third day from that as the resurrection, without 


In the Catacombs. 


1 1 1 


regard to the day of the week on which they 
might happen to fall. In this he had, of course, 
been followed by all the Churches in the East ; 
but those of Rome, Carthage, and Alexandria 
preferred to keep the original day on which the 
Lord had died, and so they observed the Friday 
for this, and the following Sunday for the resur- 
rection. 

Their present bishop, Victor, was a presbyter 
at the time of Polycarp’s visit, and he related 
how the venerable old man, who was now al- 
most the last living link between their days 
and that of the first disciples, had come in lean- 
ing on his staff, and how, as his senior and 
superior, Anicetus had deferred to him, although 
they could not agree upon the matter which 
had brought him to Rome, and therefore had 
wisely determined that if they could not see eye 
to eye upon this question of minor import it 
should not interfere with the weightier matters 
which were dear to the heart of each. Anicetus, 
as Bishop of Rome, had the largest Church, but 
he had no thought of arrogating to himself any 
superiority on that account, but rather looked 
upon the Bishop of Smyrna as his superior, 
though Polycarp would have deprecated this as 
savoring too much of a desire to lord it over 
God’s heritage. 


II2 


Flavia. 


“ I love to think that the hands which often 
grasped those of the beloved John once clasped 
mine, and that I received from them the bread 
and wine in memory of the Lord’s death, which 
his teacher first ate with the Lord himself,” 
said Victor as he concluded his account. 

Many of those sitting there had heard of 
Polycarp’s visit before, and some had been 
present at the time ; but to Plautius and his 
wife it was quite new, and it seemed to cast an 
after-glow upon that time, that seemed to have 
receded so far back, when the Lord himself 
walked this earth and talked with them. 

''Does Polycarp still live.^” the vine-dresser 
asked of his neighbor. 

" Yes, he was alive and well the last time we 
had tidings from Smyrna,” answered the man. 

" I should greatly like to see him,” said Plau- 
tius. " My wife has a sister who has gone to 
Smyrna. She was a slave here in Rome, but 
her master was offended because she was a 
Christian and sold her out of his family,” and 
he sighed as he thought how much Nerissa 
could comfort his wife if she were here now. 

When the meal was concluded the parchment 
scroll presented to them by Polycarp, contain- 
ing the three epistles of his beloved teacher, 
John, was brought from its hiding-place, and a 


In the Catacombs. 113 

portion of it was read. Then they again united 
in prayer, after which a hymn was sung, the 
kiss of peace was exchanged, and tenderly em- 
bracing each other as brethren they departed 
to their own homes. 

Plautius soon began to fear that his wife would 
follow her children to the grave, and though 
this would be a gain to her it would be an al- 
most irreparable loss to himself, and at length 
he decided to return to their former home if 
possible. The little vineyard he had cultivated 
might be restored, he thought ; and he set off 
on his walk to the valley of Aricia the next day, 
to see about this. But here an unforeseen diffi- 
culty awaited him. His former neighbors and 
the owner of his little piece of ground had heard 
of his joining the Christian Church, and the 
landlord refused to let him have the ground 
again, while the neighbors declared that they 
would not live near him lest some fresh calam- 
ity should befall them through his atheism. 

Sadly disappointed and disheartened, Plau- 
tius returned to his wife, wondering where they 
could go, for if the lives of herself and her 
youngest child were to be saved they must 
leave Rome very soon. To his surprise his 
wife did not seem so disappointed at the failure 
of his errand as he thought she would be. 


Flavia. 


II4 

The Lord is working for the best,” she said 
quietly ; and the next minute she added, “ I 
should greatly like to go to Nerissa.” 

‘‘ But Nerissa is at Smyrna,” said her hus- 
band. 

‘‘ Could we not go to Smyrna to her?” asked 
his wife. She had no idea of the distance it 
was from Rome, and Plautius only had a dim 
understanding that it was beyond Ostia, the 
great sea-port of Italy, and, therefore, some- 
where beyond the sea. But although he smiled 
at his wife’s suggestion he made some inquiries 
among his friends about the climate and soil of 
the distant place, and whether his knowledge 
of vine-dressing would be likely to prove useful 
there. What he heard concerning this matter 
so delighted him that he resolved to go to Ostia 
and try to make some-terms with a ship-master 
to take them to Smyrna as soon as possible, 
though what his wife would say to the prospect 
of a sea-voyage he did not know. He would 
tell her first that this must be undertaken, and 
why he had resolved to try and reach the dis- 
tant city. ‘‘ I am sure of employment as a vine- 
dresser there,” he said ; '‘for the soil is so fer- 
tile and the climate so warm that the vines 
yield two crops a year, and figs and spices grow 
in abundance.” 


In the Catacombs. 


IIS 


‘^And we shall see Nerissa, and the great 
Bishop Polycarp, who came here a few years 
since,” said his wife cheerfully. But the next 
minute the smile faded from her pale, worn 
face, and she said slowly, “ I want to see Ne- 
rissa, but, O Plautius ! I cannot go away from 
Rome — away from the Catacombs where my 
little Irene and Marcinius are buried,” and the 
poor woman burst into tears. 

“Hush, hush, my Irene; our little ones are 
not in the Catacombs, and we shall be as near 
them in Smyrna as in Rome,” said Plautius, 
gently soothing her. “ For the sake of the one 
lamb yet left to us we must go away from here,” 
he added ; “ and at Smyrna I am sure to get 
employment even if F cannot get a piece of 
ground to cultivate myself” 

Irene looked at the child on her knee, so pale 
and sickly. Perhaps the sea-breezes and a 
change of climate would restore roundness to 
those little shrunken arms, and bring back the 
faded color to his cheeks. For his sake she 
would try to overcome her yearning to stay 
near the resting-place of her sleeping darlings, 
and, trusting their bodies as she had trusted 
their souls in the hands of their Father and 
hers, would go in search of health and strength 
for the one still left in her care. So she agreed 


ii6 


Flavia. 


to her husband’s proposal and promised to pre- 
pare for their voyage at once, that if he coidd 
succeed in finding a ship-master willing to take 
them for the small sum of money they could 
afford to pay, there might be as little delay as 
possible in their departure, for now that her 
mind was made up to go away she was 'anxious 
to do so at once. 

Plautius was more successful at Ostia than 
he had been at Aricia. The first ship-master 
he applied to agreed to take him and his wife 
if he would make himself useful while on the 
voyage, and this he was quite willing to do ; 
and so the bargain was completed at once, and 
a few days afterward they took an affectionate 
farewell of the friends who had been as loving 
brothers and sisters to them for the last few 
months, helping them in their distress, and con- 
soling them in sorrow ; and with one or two 
who were going with them as far as Ostia they 
departed from the imperial city, and in a few 
hours were sailing out on the mighty deep. 


At Ephesus, 


117 


CHAPTER IX. 

AT EPHESUS. 

T he wish Escalus so strongly expressed 
to leave Rome, if possible, Marcus Aure- 
lius soon found an opportunity, of gratifying, for 
a vacancy occurred in the provincial govern- 
ment of Ephesus, and Escalus was offered and 
eagerly accepted the vacant post most readily, 
because a few years might even see him raised 
to the tribune of the proconsul of that or some 
adjacent city. The spring of the year was 
most favorable for such a voyage as must now 
be undertaken, and Escalus was not the only 
one leaving Rome for Panormus, for many 
of the wealthy Romans, weary of the gayeties 
of the Imperial City, blended the pursuit of 
pleasure with a sort of religious pilgrimage by 
attending the festival of Diana, or Artemis, 
which was continued through the whole month 
of May. It was called “ Artemisius,” or the 
month of Artemis, in Ephesus, when the 
city was so full of strangers — pilgrims and 
pleasure- seekers — that tents were often pitched 

outside the city walls for the entertainment 
8 


Flavia. 


ii8 

of those who could not find any other accom- 
modation. 

The city, therefore, presented a very gay and 
animated appearance when Escalus, with his 
family and household of five hundred slaves, 
arrived ; for it was about the middle of Artemi- 
sius, and the citizens could think of nothing, 
talk of nothing, but their great goddess, and the 
games and shows now exhibiting in her honor. 
If Escalus had not been a person of some 
consequence under the proconsul he would 
have been treated with scant ceremony by the 
mixed crowd in the street ; but the lictors of 
the governor had been sent to escort his chariot 
and litters from the harbor to the house pre- 
pared for him, and so they met with but little 
annoyance from the mob. 

Flavia, whose health had been quite restored 
by the sea voyage, raised the curtains of her 
litter and gazed upon the motley crowd hurrying 
to the temple or the gymnasia beyond the gates, 
while all the shops or booths were filled with 
little shrines or models of the magnificent tem- 
ple, for which the city was famed. The lady 
sighed heavily, and turning to her sister she 
said, Ephesus, like our Rome, is wholly given 
to idolatry.” 

Sisidona’s cheeks flushed. ‘‘ How knowest 


At Ephesus. 119 

thou that I deem the worship of the gods idol- 
atry ? ” she asked. 

“ Nay, my sister, I wish not to force thy 
confidence ; but thou didst tell me ere we left 
Rome that thy faith in them was broken.” 

Sisidona turned aside her head. Do not 
heed any thing I may say !” she exclaimed im- 
patiently. I sometimes wish there were no 
gods in whom either to believe or disbelieve, 
and then there would not be all this painful 
doubt and uncertainty as to which should be 
worshiped.” 

“ There is no doubt, there is no uncertainty, 
my sister,” said Flavia, quickly laying her hand 
tenderly on Sisidona. 

But the young lady threw it off petulantly. 

“ Thou art forgeting I have promised never 
to discuss these things with thee,” she said. 

Thou woLildst not promise, I know, Flavia ; but 
I did, and I must keep my promise. I cannot 
altogether control my thoughts,” she added, ''and 
I know thou dost often surmise what is passing 
in my mind ; but I must not — dare not — talk 
about it ; I want to forget it if I can.” 

Flavia looked into her sister s restless, dis- 
satisfied face. " Thou art not happy, Sisidona, 
I can see,” she said. " I may not talk to thee, 
thou sayest, but I can pray for thee, and that 


120 


Flavia. 


will be a greater help than any words I can 
speak.” 

Sisidona did not reply, and nothing more was 
said nutil the litters were set down at the door of 
the mansion which was to be their future home. 

A troop of slaves had accompanied them, but 
the main body, with the chests of clothes and 
various articles of furniture, and the images of 
their ancestors, brought from Rome, were left 
at the harbor for the present. Flavia’s first care 
was to examine the rooms of the house, and 
select the most airy and cheerful for her children, 
and after seeing them settled here, with their 
slaves, she selected rooms for herself and hus- 
band and sister, so that no one should suffer 
any discomfort or inconvenience. A visit paid 
some time later to the rooms occupied by the 
slaves revealed many things that needed alter- 
ation, and she at once begged her husband to 
have it done. 

Escalus smiled at the earnestness with which 
she preferred her request. “ Have the lazy, 
fastidious rogues been complaining to thee ? ” he 
asked, or art thou not content with wearing 
thyself out for the children, but must take up 
thy slaves to care for ? ” 

We ought to care for them ! ” answered 
Flavia. 


At Ephesus, 12 1 

Her husband laughed. “ Whoever heard of 
such a thing ! ” he said. So long as we are 
not needlessly cruel to them is all that is re- 
quired of us.” 

That is the teaching of the demon gods, but 
with the true God it is not so. In his sight all 
men are free and equal, and there are but two 
classes — the sheep and the goats — those who 
believe in and love the Lord Christ, and those 
who despise his name,” said Flavia, speaking 
with almost trembling earnestness. 

Her husband rose from his seat and pushed 
her aside, but the next minute he came back 
and looked tenderly into her tearful face. “ I do 
not believe in thy God, Flavia, but I believe in 
thee,” he said, “ and this must satisfy thee. I 
will not try to interfere with thy religion again ; 
and if I leave thee to follow thy will in this 
matter, thou must leave me to follow mine,” 
saying which he hastily left the room. It was 
the first time the matter had been spoken of 
since her illness, and Flavia felt both relieved 
and distressed — relieved, that her husband had 
relented thus far, and had no intention of leav- 
ing her or removing the children again ; but, at 
the same time, distressed that she was forbidden 
to mention the subject that was dearest to her 
heart, for she had indulged the hope lately that 


122 


Flavia. 


her husband and sister were not altogether in- 
different to what had become a matter of vital 
importance to her. 

Whatever the private feelings of Escalus might 
be, he seemed determined to keep a watchful eye 
upon his sister-in-law ; for, almost immediately 
after their arrival, he proposed that they should 
go to the Temple of Artemis and sacrifice, and 
afterward witness the exhibition of the great 
goddess, for the sacred statue enshrined in this 
peerless Temple of Ephesus was only to be 
seen during this festival. A curtain depending 
from the ceiling was then solemnly drawn aside 
for a short time, that pilgrims might gaze on 
the great image of their goddess that fell from 
heaven. 

Among those who pressed toward the tem- 
ple the next day were Escalus and Sisidona, 
attended by slaves and lictors, as became their 
rank. 

The streets were thronged with gay and 
elegant chariots and litters, which could scarce- 
ly make their way through the motley crowd, 
some of whom, dressed in fancy costume as 
gods and goddesses, Jupiters with towering, 
glittering crowns, bolts of war, and white san- 
dals, or Apollos in wreaths and white robes ; 
eager pleasure-seekers, on their way to the 


At Ephesus, 


123 


theater with its shows, the Hippodrome with 
its horse-racing, or the stadiiun with its wrest- 
ling and beast-fighting ; and some, like Escalus 
and Sisidona, making their way to the temple — 
pilgrims from all [)arts of Europe and Asia — 
desirous of seeing the great goddess once in 
their lives. 

The Temple of Diana was the wonder of the 
world for beauty and magnificence. It was four 
hundred and twenty-five feet in length, two 
hundred and twenty in breadth, and was two 
hundred and twenty years in building. The 
glittering marble edifice could be seen for miles 
around, both by sea and land, and so there was 
no difficulty in finding the way to it ; and when 
at length Sisidona descended from her litter 
she might well stand spell-bound in blank 
amazement, for, accustomed as her eyes were 
to grandeur and beauty, this temple of the hunt- 
ress-queen surpassed any thing of which Rome 
could boast. 

The whole temple was centered round a 
small cell, within which was the shrine of the 
goddess. Round this were colonnades of pil- 
lars, each sixty feet in length, of a single shaft 
of marble, jasper, and porphyry, each given by 
a king, for all the cities in Asia had united in 
the building of this glorious temple. There 


124 


Flavia. 


were one hundred and twenty-seven pillars 
arranged in an oblong form, making a double 
row open to the sky. Within these was the 
temple itself ; its doors and roof of cedar wood, 
and the staircase made from a single vine 
of Cyprus, while within were gathered trophies 
of art such as the world has never since seen 
equaled. A picture by Apelles, representing 
Alexander the Great grasping a thunderbolt, 
hung on one side. The magnificent altar of 
Parian marble was from the chisel of Prax- 
iteles, while gold and jewels were lavished in 
richest profusion. Warriors hung their trophies 
here, while men of peace brought votive offer- 
ings or erected golden statues. Before this 
shrine altars always smoked, and the air was 
laden with richest perfumes. 

Escalus and Sisidona had not come em.pty 
handed, but their richest gifts seemed poor be- 
side the wealth, magnificence, and beauty 
scattered all around. They cast their incense 
into the flame, watched the costly spices slowly 
pass off in smoke, and then prepared to enter 
the temple itself to see this wonderful image of 
the goddess ; for if the temple and all its surround- 
ings and appointments were so magnificent, 
what must be the beauty of the deity who pre- 
sided over all. 


At Ephesus. 125 

Sisidona would have preferred paying another 
visit to see this crowning glory. 

“ I have seen enough for to-day,” she whis- 
pered to Escalus. “ When the curtain is drawn 
aside, and the beautiful huntress-queen herself 
is disclosed to our view, I want to be able to 
worship her at once — instinctively — I want 
her marvelous beauty to compel my adoration, 
so that I may never wander in my allegiance to 
her again.” 

Escalus smiled. “ Her beauty will not over- 
power thee,” he said significantly. 

Sisidona, however, did not notice this. 

“ I do not want to be overpowered, but con- 
vinced,” she said. 

“ Convinced that this is the great Diana of the 
Ephesians, whose image fell from Jupiter.^” 
inquired Escalus. There is little doubt about 
it, Sisidona,” he added, “ but thou must see 
it to-day, or wait until next year ; ” and they 
pressed forward so as to obtain a good view 
of this marvelous image. What would it be 
like } Would the calm, stately queen be 
crowned with the crescent moon, a quiver at 
her back, the bow in her hand, and the fawn at 
her side, the whole executed in the finest gold 
or ivory, with an art rivaling that of Praxiteles } 
This was what Sisidona w^as prepared to see. 


126 


Flavia. 


But when at length the magnificent curtain 
was drawn aside, she almost screamed with 
horror at the sight of what it disclosed. A 
little rude lump of black stone, the part from 
the waist downward not shaped at all, and the 
upper part merely carved out into a head, a pair 
of arms, and roughly -cut breast. Any thing 
uglier could not well be imagined, and Sisidona 
experienced such a revulsion of feeling that if 
it had not been for the crowd, and the detain- 
ing arm of her brother-in-law, she would have 
rushed from the place. 

Escalus pointed out to her the mysterious 
letters carved on the clumsy feet, and com- 
mented on the gorgeousness of her apparel, and 
the peculiar signs on her crown and girdle, 
which the Ephesians regarded with such rever- 
ential awe that copies of them, written on parch- 
ment, were worn as charms. But Sisidona saw 
nothing of this extrinsic splendor ; the goddess 
herself, in her revolting ugliness, was all she 
could see, and even the beauty of the temple 
was forgotten in the disappointment she felt at 
this. On their way home Escalus purchased a 
little silver shrine or model of the famous tem- 
ple, for these could be bought in gold, silver, or 
wood, and found quite a profitable business, for 
all visiting the city wished to take back to their 


At EphesiLS, 


127 


homes a memento of its far-famed temple ; and 
Escalus, though he hoped to spend many years 
of his life at Ephesus, thought he would take 
one of these to his children as a memento of this 
his first visit to the guardian deity of the place. 
Perhaps, too, he was anxious to screen his wife’s 
opinions from comment, by showing that the 
popular goddess was worshiped in his house- 
hold, for he had no wish to hear her called a 
Christian here, as she had been at Rome, and 
so he was most anxious that Sisidona should 
pay all possible respect to the gods, hoping by 
this means to screen Flavia’s remissness. 

But Sisidona was very indifferent about this 
matter. Sometimes it was too much trouble to 
go to the temple, or she had an engagement at 
the Hippodrome, for she had suddenly grown 
very fond of pleasure and excitement, so fond, 
indeed, that Escalus thought it his duty, as her 
guardian, to remonstrate on the extravagance 
into which she was rushing ; for, as the ancient 
law of Rome forbade a man leaving his wealth 
to a woman, Escalus had inherited the prop- 
erty of his wife and her sister, but with the 
distinct promise that he held it in trust for their 
benefit, a trust that was never broken on his 
part. 

He therefore ventured to remind Sisidona 


128 


Flavia. 


that she had been intrusted to his care, not 
only by her father, but by her betrothed hus- 
band, Claudius Rufus, for Claudius had been 
sent into Gaul just before they left Rome, oth- 
erwise they would have been married, for the 
emperors consent had already been obtained. 
Escalus wished that his friend would return 
now and relieve him of the onerous charge, and 
he said as much to Sisidona. But the young 
lady tossed her head and pouted. 

“Thou art hard to please, Escalus,” she said. 
“ I must not talk to Flavia, for fear I should 
become like her, and I may not go to the thea- 
ter, or stadiiLiny or — ” 

“ Stop, Sisidona,” said Escalus ; “ when did 
I say I did not wish thee to be like thy sister. 
If thou wert like Flavia I should have no rea- 
son to complain.” 

“ But Flavia is a Christian,” said Sisidona 
provokingly. 

“ Thou needest not remind me of that fact,” 
answered Escalus. “ I do not wish thee to 
forsake the gods of Rome, I do not ask thee to 
believe in the strange God Flavia worships ; I 
only — ” 

“ I don’t believe in any God at all now,” in • 
terrupted Sisidona, speaking very bitterly ; 
and the next minute she burst into tears. 


At Ephesics. 


129 


Escalus was perplexed. Hush, hush, I wish 
not to vex thee,” he said soothingly. “ I have 
been harsh, perhaps, but I have much to try 
me here, much that I cannot tell Flavia for fear 
of grieving her.” 

Canst thou not tell me } ” asked Sisidona, 
suddenly looking up and dashing the tears from 
her eyes. 

‘‘ Well, there is a Church of these Christians 
here in Ephesus, and the terrible fire that took 
place a short time since is declared by the 
priests of Artemis to be caused by the anger of 
the gods against these innovators. The silver- 
smiths are constantly making complaints, too, 
that their business is endangered by this new 
religion ; and to add to the complication, in- 
formers come every now and then proffering 
information against one and another who are 
known to be wealthy, merely for the sake of 
the reward they hope to obtain out of the fine 
the Christians are compelled to pay.” 

And what dost thou do — which side dost 
thou take } ” demanded Sisidona. 

“ I can but state the law ; I am not the pro- 
consul,” said Escalus evasively. 

And thou art unable to plead for or defend 
these afflicted people, and no one else in Ephesus 
will do it either. Escalus, dost thou not think 


130 


Flavia. 


there must be some truth in a religion that can 
make people as brave as these Christians are ? ” 
she suddenly demanded. 

Escalus looked at her in silent astonishment 
for a minute or two, and then asked : 

'' What dost thou mean, Sisidona ? ” 

‘‘ I mean that if there be a God at all, he is 
the God whom these Christians worship,’' she 
said in a calm, measured tone ; and, without 
pausing to see the effect of her words, she 
left the peristyle and went to her own chamber. 


The Storm Threatening, 13 1 


CHAPTER X. 


THE STORM THREATENING. 

LAVIA sat in a darkened chamber beside 



^ her sister’s couch. Sisidona, dost thou 
know me.^” she whispered tenderly, bending 
over the sick girl with a look of weariness and 
anxiety in her face that showed how long she 
had been watching there, battling for the life 
of the dear one she feared was passing away. 

“Where am I.^” asked Sisidona in a weak 
voice. But the next minute she turned her face 
to the wall, saying, “ I remember it all now ; 
and I — I am an orphan, alone in the world.” 

“Nay, nay, my sister, not alone, for the Lord 
Christ is with thee,” replied Flavia. 

“ I don’t know enough of thy God to say 
that. I am almost a Christian, as Claudius 
reproached me with being ; but there must be 
a difference, Flavia, for thou didst not rave, 
and throw thyself into a fever, when Escalus 
left—” 

“ Hush, hush,” hastily interrupted her sister ; 
“ speak not of that. The parting between hus- 
band and wife none can know, save those who 


132 


Flavia. 


have endured it, and God, who gives strength 
to bear it.” 

But thou hadst the strength to bear that, 
and I can’t bear my loss, for, O Flavia, I do 
love Claudius still.” 

Dear little sister, the Lord Christ wants 
to bear this trouble for thee,” said Flavia, the 
tears stealing into her eyes as she placed her 
arm around the invalid’s neck, and drew her 
head down upon her shoulder. 

I want to rest on something as I am rest- 
ing on thee now,” whispered Sisidona. “ It has 
been such a long struggle, and I am so weary. 
If this great image of Diana had only been 
beautiful — beautiful enough to command my 
reverence and worship at once — I think I could 
have rested upon her as my special goddess ; 
but when I saw how ugly she was I felt re- 
pelled, and then I said those words to Escalus 
that caused all the trouble.” 

But they were true. Thou dost not regret 
having chosen the Christian’s God to be thy 
God.^” asked her sister anxiously. 

“Yes, they are true, for I cannot believe in 
the gods of Rome, as Claudius demands I 
shall ; but it seemeth to me I am suffering as 
a Christian without a Christian’s hope and 
strength.” 


The Storm Threatening, 133 

God is our refuge and strength in every 
time of trouble,” said Fiavia. 

“Yes, but I am not sure that he is my God,” 
said Sisidona anxiously. 

“ But thou art his child, Sisidona. He cre- 
ated thee, and sent his Son to redeem thee from 
sin. Listen, little sister : ‘ Herein is love, not 
that we loved God, but that he loved us, and 
sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.’ 
Wilt thou not try to believe this, Sisidona } 
They are God’s own words — his special message 
to thee to-day, and he wants thee to believe it 
and rest on him.” 

“ Fiavia, if I could so rest — rest as I know 
thou dost — I think I could bear even this part- 
ing with Claudius more patiently than I do,” 
whispered her sister. 

“ God v/ill give thee patience as well as strength. 
Try to forget thyself entirely, and just let the 
Lord Christ carry thee as I cany my little Fe- 
licita over any rough place where she might 
trip or hurt her feet. This is a rough place in 
thy life-path, and thou art weak and weary, and 
cannot get over it thyself. The Lord Christ 
knows all this, Sisidona ; but he can bear thee 
over it. And think, my sister, thou canst pray 
for Claudius that the Lord will make himself 

known to him likewise.” 

9 


134 


Flavia. 


‘‘ Sisidona looked up into her sister’s face : 
‘‘Hast thou prayed for Escalus?’* she asked; 
and then added, “ I know thou hast, Flavia, for 
thou dost believe in prayer ; and yet he hates 
the Christians more than ever, and thought it 
his duty to inform Claudius that I was in dan- 
ger of becoming one of them.” 

Flavia colored. “My dear husband!” she 
exclaimed tenderly. “ Thou knowest, Sisidona, 
that he acted from a sense of duty when he 
wrote to Claudius. He does hate our faith, I 
know ; but the great missionary apostle did the 
same, at first ; but he learned to love it after- 
ward, and my Escalus will be brought to a 
knowledge of the truth, I doubt not. I must 
pray, but God alone can work in his heart, and 
he knows the most fitting time for that.” 

“ But, Flavia, I want Claudius to learn to love 
this truth which I have begun to seek ; and 
then — then— that we may be united,” she whis- 
pered softly; “am I very selfish?’' she added. 

“ Nay, my sister, it is but a natural wish,” re- 
plied Flavia; “but I would have thee try and 
leave the matter in God’s hands. Pray for 
Claudius, if thou wilt, but let God choose how 
and when the answer shall come. He will 
know just what is best for both of you. And 
now thou must try to rest body and mind or 


The Storm Threatening, 135 

thou wilt have another relapse. I will have thy 
slave to watch beside thee now, for Escalus 
wished to have some converse with me when 
he returned from the Forum to-day, and he will 
be awaiting me in the peristyle.” 

Escalus and his family had been some months 
at Ephesus — months of anxiety they had proved 
to the young equity, for war had followed close 
upon the heels of fire and famine to distress 
the empire yet more, and each in turn had been 
charged to the poor Christians as the cause. 
The proconsul knew not what to do, for the 
priests and augurs of their great goddess were 
continually publishing pretended messages from 
her against these people, and there had been 
more than one uproar in the market-place, the 
people shouting, Great is Artemis of the Ephe- 
sians !” until they were threatened by the Roman 
soldiers, who could only restore quiet by clear- 
ing the great market of Jews, priests, and work- 
men who were the chief instigators of the riot. 

But both the proconsul himself and Escalus 
began to feel that some steps would have to be 
taken to pacify the people, or there would be 
complaints sent to Rome of all these riots ; and 
the only thing that could be done was to in- 
stitute proceedings against the Christians for 
insulting the popular gods. Slowly this convic- 


136 


Flavia. 


tion had grown into a certainty, and now it had 
received confirmation, for the proconsul had 
ordered the arrest of three citizens who were 
known to have spoken against the temple and 
its presiding deity. Escalus, therefore, might 
well be anxious, for he knew not but that his 
wife or Sisidona might be the next* informed 
against ; and to buy off one informer was only 
a signal for others to spring up, so that a fortune 
might be spent to no other purpose than post- 
poning the evil day. Escalus had seen this 
again and again ; he might therefore be excused 
for looking anxious and troubled when he met 
his wife in the peristyle that day. 

Flavia saw that something was troubling him, 
and dismissing the children with their slaves 
she begged him to tell her the cause of his anx- 
iety. '' Hast thou received tidings from Clau- 
dius Rufus she asked. 

‘'Nay; the expected messenger has not ar- 
rived from Rome yet. This war with Parthia 
is doubtless occupying the emperor s attention.” 

“ Does he lead his soldiers in person asked 
Flavia, thinking she could lead him to speak of 
his trouble in that way. 

“ Nay, his adopted brother, Lucius Verus, was 
given the whole management of warfare at the 
time of the emperor’s accession.” 


The Storm Threateiiing, 


137 


‘‘Then wherefore art thou so sad, my Es- 
calus?” asked Flavia tenderly. “Is it the 
thought of this war.^^” 

Her husband looked down into the fair, pale, 
gentle face, and smoothing back the bands of 
her soft brown hair, he said, “ Flavia, suppose 
it is thee, and such as thee, who are bringing 
this calamity upon us, for this war is a calamity, 
following, as it does, upon the inundation and 
the famine,” he added. 

The lady, raised her eyes questioningly. 
“ What have I done to throw a whole province 
into war V she asked in a tone of astonishment. 

“ Dost thou not know, my Flavia, or must 
I tell thee what the mob were crying again 
yesterday.” 

“ O, Escalus, there has not been another 
riot } ” she asked with whitening lips. 

“There was not a riot, because the pro- 
consul promised to silence those who reviled 
the gods of Rome and Ephesus.” 

“ Are the Christians to be persecuted } ” she 
asked in a faint whisper of suppressed agony. 

“ They must sacrifice to Diana, or be thrown 
into prison and their property confiscated,” 
replied Escalus sadly. His wife knew what 
he was thinking of, but how could she assure 
him she would not bring this trouble and dis- 


Flavia. 


138 

grace upon their home, when to do this she 
must deny her Lord and Master. 

Lower and lower drooped her head as she 
stood silently by his side, and the tears fell 
upon the marble pavement one after another in 
quick succession. Neither spoke for some 
minutes ; but at length Escalus said, “ Flavia, 
thou knowest my thoughts upon this matter, 
but I had promised never to interfere again 
with thy strange faith, and I will keep my 
promise.” She did not need to be reminded 
that a promise was to Escalus as sacred as the 
most solemn oath or binding contract. He 
had all the old Roman reverence for truth, 
and his word once passed would never be 
falsified. 

For some minutes she could not speak, but 
at last she managed to say 

O, my Escalus ! if thou wert but one of us I 
could go to prison or to death cheerfully ; but 
this — this is the agony of persecution, that it 
separates husbands and wives, and plunges a 
sword into many hearts sharper than that of 
the gladiator or cruel soldier.” 

Her husband made no reply, but after another 
pause he said, Wilt thou tell me what I am to 
say, if I am asked whether thou wilt sacrifice to 
the gods } ” 


139 


The Storm Threatening. 

“ O, Escalus, spare me ! ” pleaded Flavia, 

He passed his arm around her waist to keep 
her from falling to the ground, for her agitation 
seemed to deprive her of all her strength. I 
have not been the cause of this persecution,” 
he said, as calmly as he could speak ; '' but now 
that it is begun, we know not when it may end^ 
or who may be the next accused, I cannot 
spare thee, my wife ; the decision must rest 
with thyself” 

I cannot deny the Lord who bought me 
with his own blood,” replied Flavia with trem- 
bling earnestness. 

'' Is that thine answer, Flavia 1 ” asked her 
husband, battling with the pain he felt and 
trying to steady his voice. 

'' It must be ; O, Fscalus, I must not, dare not 
give thee any other,” she almost shrieked in 
her agony, for this was a trial for which she was 
wholly unprepared. Fearing that the slaves 
would overhear words that might but hasten 
the calamity he was anxious to avoid, Fscalus 
took his wife in his arms and carried her to 
her own room, and laying her on the couch he 
said : — 

“ Now, Flavia, thou must calm thyself and 
listen to me. For Sisidona s sake, for riiy sake, 
thou must be careful where thou dost go, and 


140 


Flavta. 


what thou doest or sayest, even before our own 
slaves. It may be that this persecution will 
pass away without any accusation being brought 
against thee. I am known as a worshiper of 
the gods, and that may be sufficient to satisfy 
the citizens,” he added. 

“O, my Escalus, if thou didst but know the 
God who is a refuge and strength in every time 
of trouble, I should not fear this persecution,” 
said Flavia earnestly. 

Thy wishes are useless,” said her husband. 

But my prayers are not,” said his wife with 
a faint smile. 

'' If those prayers are answered thy God 
must be powerful indeed, for I have not grown 
dissatisfied with Apollo and Diana, as Sisidona 
has,” replied Escalus ; and then he made some 
inquiries about the invalid and various domestic 
matters concerning the children and slaves ; 
for, unlike most Roman matrons of her rank, 
Flavia had undertaken the oversight of her own 
household, and knew when her slaves were ill 
and unable to work, and whether a certain dish 
she might order for supper was likely to cost a 
few sesterces, or the tribute of a whole province, 
which was more than many ladies in Ephesus 
could boast of. 

After her husband left her she lay pondering 


The Storm TJu^eatening. 14 1 

on what she had heard, and silently praying 
that she might, if possible, be spared this trial, 
not so much for her own sake as for her hus- 
band’s. Her rank, she knew, would be no pro- 
tection, for ladies of higher birth, and occupying 
a more exalted position than she did, had suf- 
fered banishment and death for embracing this 
superstition.” In the reign of the Emperor 
Domitian, his niece Domitilla, the wife of a 
consul, was banished, and her husband put to 
death, so that it was scarcely likely that Flavia 
would escape if it were once publicly known 
that she was a Christian. Many of her own 
household slaves were aware of this, but 
Flavia thought they might be trusted, and so, 
after committing her cause to God in prayer, 
she endeavored to dismiss her fears and 
anxieties for the present, lest she should be un- 
fitted for the duty of nursing Sisidona, and doing 
what she could to lighten her husband’s cares. 
There would also be another duty devolving 
upon her if this persecution should be com- 
menced. She had joined the Church at Eph- 
esus, and was one of the few wealthy and in- 
fluential members. Now, if any of the poorer 
brethren were cast into prison their families 
must be cared for while they were there, and it 
was the duty of the wealthy thus to bear part, 


142 


Flavia. 


at least, of their burdens, and so fulfill the law 
of Christ, and prove that the lessons of their 
former bishop, the Apostle of love,'’ were not 
• yet forgotten. 

As Flavia went back to her sister’s chamber 
she tried to recall the picture of that feeble, 
yet mighty, old man, being borne through the 
streets in his litter ; pausing every now and 
• then, when his friends pressed around him to 
breathe the well-known benediction and com- 
mand, Little children, love one another.” 
These Ephesian Christians were his own flock, 
his ‘'little children,” whom he had led and 
taught for many years. He was taken from 
their midst, and hurried before the Emperor 
Domitian, accused of having greatly injured 
the worship of Diana, and from thence to the 
lonely Isle of Patmos, where the Lord talked 
with his faithful and beloved disciple once 
more, revealing to him things yet to come upon 
the earth. His flock wept and mourned the 
loss of their leader, fearing they should never 
see his face again ; but after the death of 
Domitian John returned from exile, and lived 
many years. All this Flavia had heard from 
Christian friends, some of whom could well 
remember the white-haired old man who 
usually carried a tame partridge nestling in 


The Storm Threatening, 143 

his bosom, and whom no one was afraid to 
approach. She wished she, too, had been 
privileged to meet him, but she checked the 
thought almost as it arose, for had she not his 
Master, to whom she could go with every trial 
and difficulty, however peculiar or unforeseen 
it might be ? 


144 


Flavia. 


CHAPTER XL 

AT SMYRNA. 

P LAUTIUS, the vine-dresser, was warmly 
welcomed by his fellow-Christians at Smyr- 
na. This bond of love to God and love to each 
other was no slight one in those days. Differ- 
ence of nationality, and even of language, did 
but intensify this principle of unity and brother- 
hood where men were one in religious aims 
and hopes, for religion was no outside affair, 
to be put on and off at will, like a garment, but 
was regarded as the chief object in life, to which 
all others were subservient. 

So when Plautius, with his delicate wife and 
sickly child, reached the '‘City of Myrrh” a 
welcome awaited him as warm as that which 
had been given to him when he moved from the 
valley of Aricia into the Imperial City, for the 
brethren of Smyrna were not forgetful of the 
apostle’s exhortation to " entertain strangers,” 
and so this stranger from Rome was received 
as a brother in Christ. 

When their bishop. Polycarp, heard of his ar- 
rival he made special inquiry for those whom 


At Smyrna. 


145 


he remembered by name, as well as for the 
Church of Rome in general, and recommended 
Plautius to a wealthy citizen who owned several 
vineyards on the slopes of the hills outside the 
city walls. 

Smyrna nestled at the foot of a range of 
sheltering hills that shut out the cold north- 
east winds, and thus protected vineyards and 
olive gardens, fig orchards and spice trees, flour- 
ished, and its inhabitants, conscious of their in- 
debtedness to nature for the fruitfulness of the 
soil, but ignorant of nature’s God, had personi- 
fied the great mother in an idol called Rhea, 
who, with Dionysus, (or Bacchus, as he was 
variously termed,) the god of wine, was spe- 
cially worshiped at Smyrna. Rhea was said to 
have revivified him after he had been cut to 
pieces and placed in a caldron. This was, of 
course, a rude allegory of the power of nature ; 
but the worship of this goddess, as well as that 
of Dionysus, was horrible, and called into exer- 
cise the worst passions of mankind. These 
orgies and mad revels were just concluding 
when Plautius reached the city, and so it was 
not greatly to be wondered at that every second 
or third person he met on the way should be 
reeling with intoxication, for the chief priest 
had just received his crown, and Dionysus 


146 


Flavia. 


demanded that every one should drown his 
senses in wine in his honor. 

Looking upon a party of mad revelers as 
they were passing the temple dedicated to the 
emperor Tiberius, and remembering how often 
he had joined in a similar worship of Bacchus, 
the vine-dresser turned to the young man walk- 
ing with him and said, “ Will these ever rush 
into such folly and excess ? Will the worship 
of Bacchus never come to an end ? ” 

Fortunately for Plautius he spoke in the 
Latin tongue, while most of those living at 
Smyrna understood Greek only, or some seri- 
ous trouble might have fallen upon him for the 
indiscreet speech. 

His companion, Germanicus, feared at one 
time .that some of the crowd understood what 
had been said as well as he himself did, for they 
were almost instantly surrounded by the crazy 
revelers, who danced and sung, and waved their 
vine garlands and wreaths around the little 
party of Roman strangers, until the baby 
screamed with fright at their mad antics, and 
Irene herself became alarmed lest she should 
be snatched from her husband’s side and whirled 
away by one of the revelers. Germanicus, too, 
was scarcely less frightened lest his impulsive 
countryman should say or do something that 





^\\\\\^ 



Wi 

lu 



Plautius’ Reception at Smyrna 





At Smyrna. 149 

would betray who they were, and that they 
hated such reveling's. 

At length, to his great relief, something else 
in the street attracted their attention, and they 
ran off, leaving the little party of Christians to 
pursue their way to the gate in peace. Plau- 
tius wanted to see the mode of cultivating the 
vines here at once, but Germanicus told him 
that many of the vineyards nearest the city 
would be almost stripped ; and so it proved, 
for the roads were scattered with the trailing 
branches in every direction ; for here the festi- 
val had been held, and the priest crowned for 
the year. Germanicus told his fellow-country- 
man of this custom. 

“ Thy bishop, too, has been promised a crown 
by the Lord Jesus Christ himself, has he not 
said Plautius. I knew not that Smyrna award- 
ed a crown to the priest of her god, but I heard 
that to Polycarp a special message had been 
sent by the mouth of his master and teacher, 
John, and that a crown had been promised to 
him, even a crown of life.” 

Germanicus smiled. I am glad thou hast 
heard from the brethren at Rome something of 
our beloved bishop. He is indeed a worthy 
pupil of even such a man as John. But talk 
not much of his crown, for ’tis a sad matter for 


Flavia. 


150 

some to think of, inasmuch as he taketh the 
words to mean that a crown of martyrdom shall 
be given him at the last.” 

Plautius turned a shade paler. Are the 
brethren persecuted here by the worshipers of 
these demons he asked. 

Could it be otherwise, seeing we run not to 
the same excess of riot in this idol worship.^” 
asked Germanicus. 

Nay, but they accuse our brethren at Rome 
of going to greater lengths than themselves. 
They declare that our holy mysteries of the 
agape and last supper to be more infamous 
than the Eleusinian mysteries, because they are 
not permitted to be present who have not been 
baptized.” 

'' But they suffer none to enter their Eleusia 
but the initiated, wherefore, then, can they com- 
plain that we, too, have our mysteries. I know 
that vile accusations are brought against us, 
but we know that the worship of their Rhea 
and Dionysus is so vile that we dare not ap- 
proach — dare not even be friends with those 
who practice such things ; and thus, although 
we are still as poor as when John was in Pat- 
mos, few errors have crept in among us, for we 
have struggled to keep ourselves unspotted from 
the world.” 


At S 7 nyj'na. 15 1 

‘‘ Ah ! and it is a continual struggle to one 
who used to love these things,” said Plautius 
with something of a sigh. 

Germanicus looked at him in surprise. “ But 
surely thou hast never loved such rioting and 
reveling,” he said. 

Plautius laid his hand on the young man's 
shoulder. “Were thy parents Christians before 
thee.^” he asked. 

“Yes; my mother could tell me of how she 
used to listen to John after he came from ban- 
ishment, and my father had learned the same 
truth before he left Rome. 

“ Then thank God thou wert taught to love 
him while thou wert young, for thou knowest 
not how hard it is to give up cherished sins and 
evil customs when thou hast lived half thy life 
in the practice of them. I tell thee they are as 
hard to break as ropes of vine withes, and bind 
thee just as tightly. Only the breath of the 
Lord God Almighty can destroy them at first, 
and that only can keep thee from being bound 
again, for they are always trying to creep over 
thee.” 

“Nay, but thou couldst not wish to join in 
such wild revels as those we passed just now,” 
said Germanicus. 

'' Could not repeated Plautius. “When the 
10 


152 


Flavia. 


feast of Bacchus was all I lived for, thinkest 
thou I did not enjoy the rioting and drunken- 
ness ? 

‘'But thou couldst not enjoy it now?'' said 
his friend. 

“ I hope not, but I know not. I am often 
afraid of myself lest the old love of this come 
over me, and so thou seest it is still a struggle, 
and I would to God idol-worship could be put 
down." 

Plautius spoke the latter words almost pas- 
sionately, and at the same moment a head ap- 
peared on the other side of the myrtle-hedge 
near which they were walking, and looked fully 
into the faces of each. 

Germanicus saw the look, and hoped the man 
did not understand what had been said ; but 
whether he did or not he could not tell, for he 
did not speak. He again gave Plautius a word 
of warning about needlessly exposing himself, 
not only to insult but to possible danger by thus 
speaking openly of his wish to destroy the wor- 
ship of the gods, and the vine-dresser promised 
to be careful and discreet in this matter. 

Irene would rather have gone in search of 
her sister than have come to look at the vine- 
vards ; but her husband had been so very anx- 
ious about this matter that she readily agreed 


At Smyrna. 


153 


to postpone making any inquiries about her 
until the following day. Some of those belong- 
ing to the Christian Church would be sure to 
know her, Plautius said, aud Irene commenced 
her inquiries by asking Germanicus if he had 
heard of a Roman slave, Nerissa, being admit- 
ted to the Church. 

The young man shook his head. I do not 
say there is no such person in our Church of 
Smyrna, but I know her not,” he replied. 

“ She has not been long in this city,” said 
Irene ; cannot you remember those who have 
come to thy Church lately.^” 

“Yes, we have not so many but I can re- 
member them,” answered their guide. “ It 
may be she hath gone to one of our Churches 
outside the city.” 

“ Nay, she would not do that, for she was 
anxious to be under the teaching of thy bishop. 
Polycarp ; for, as he was once a slave himself, 
Nerissa said he could understand the troubles 
and sorrows of a slave better than any other,” 
answered Irene quickly ; and she began to 
grow anxious about her sister in spite of all 
her husband said to dispel her fears. 

The next day, while he had gone upon the 
necessary business of obtaining employment, 
Irene went to make further inquiries about 


Fla VI A. 


154 

Nerissa, but no one had seen or heard any thing 
of her. Certainly she had not joined the Church 
at Smyrna, which was a fact so startling that 
Irene began to fear she had not come to the 

City of Myrrh at all. With the exception 
of this disappointment, however, she had little 
cause to regret coming herself, for the baby 
grew stronger and more healthy every day, her 
own health was greatly improved, and once 
more among his vines, Plautius seemed to re- 
cover his cheerful and hopeful spirit. 

They were now installed in a little cottage 
on the edge of the vineyard of which Plautius 
had the charge, and here Irene could almost 
fancy she was again in the valley of Aricia but 
for the absence of her children, the two who 
slept in the Catacombs of Rome, and that she 
never saw her sister as she did in the old days 
at home, as she loved to call her Italy. 

Irene knew not what to think, what to do, to 
find her sister or discover her fate. Certainly 
she was not in Smyrna, for Plautius had made 
every inquiry, not only among the brethren in 
Smyrna, but at two little villages beyond, where 
there were small congregations of Christians, 
but no one had heard of Nerissa. 

Anxiety about this, however, was soon ab- 
sorbed in another that threatened to touch them 


At Smyrna. 


ISS 

even more closely than this. News of the 
Parthian war reached Smyrna in due time, and 
with it came an imperial edict for the imposition 
of afresh impost to support the troops in the East, 
which excited a great deal of complaint among 
the citizens. Their trade would be ruined by this 
tax ; they grumbled, and it was hard that they 
should have to pay it, seeing they had erected 
such a splendid temple to one of the Cesars. 

But the tax had to be paid, for the war was not 
over with the first blows that were struck ; and 
the priests of Dionysus declared that it was use- 
less to build temples to the emperor when they 
denied the very existence of the gods. 

“ Who had been guilty of such impiety } Who 
had dared to speak against the great mother 
Rhea and Dionysus, who gave them such abun- 
dant harvests } ” asked one and another. 

The priests of the goddess soon answered the 
question. “The Christians call our gods de- 
mons, and are constantly seeking to overthrow 
their worship.” 

“ The Christians ! ” exclaimed the crowd of 
worshipers who were gathered round the steps 
of the temple : “ Mean ye that miserable sect 
who drink not to the honor of our god, and are 
led in their impiety by the slave-bishop. Poly- 
carp?” 


Flavia. 


156 

“ Even so,” answered the priest. “ These are 
the enemies of Smyrna — the enemies of the 
emperor, and who cause us to eat the bread of 
scarceness when our god would fain give us 
plenty.” 

Polycarp to the beasts ! we will have none 
of these Christians in Smyrna! ” shouted two or 
three together ; and they were about to leave 
the temple at once to go in search of Polycarp 
and drag him before the prefect. But one of 
their number pitying the gray-haired old man, 
whom he had often seen in the streets and 
market-place, raised his voice above the rest 
and asked, Which among ye heard Polycarp 
call our gods demons ? ” 

There was a pause for a minute, while they 
looked in each others’ faces asking the same 
question ; for it would be useless to drag him 
before their prefect unless they could suj)port 
this charge. At length one replied, '‘We know 
these Christians hate our gods ; and a Roman 
vine-dresser, who came here at our last festival, 
was heard to say that he hoped the worship of 
Dionysus would soon be overthrown.” 

“ Then let the Roman be seized, but not 
Polycarp,” said his defender. 

It mattered little to the crowd whom they 
seized, so long as a victim could be found on 


At Smyrna. 


IS7 


whom they could wreak their vengeance ; and 
the cry was instantly changed to The Roman 
to the lion ! Down with the Christians ! ” and, 
as though they were themselves the beasts 
thirsting for the blood of their victim, they 
rushed at once to the tribunal of the prefect, 
and demanded that this superstition ” should 
be suppressed, and the Christians destroyed. 

The prefect tried to pacify them with assur- 
ances that the honor of their gods should be 
maintained, that nothing could ever overthrow 
the worship of Jupiter and Rhea, and that the 
Christians’ God would soon be forgotten, as he 
had neither temple nor statue in Smyrna. It 
was all in vain ; and finding at length that a 
riot would ensue if he did not yield to their 
demands, he promised that the Roman vine- 
dresser, who had insulted their gods, should be 
sought for and brought before him the next day, 
when they must produce their witnesses and 
such evidence as they had to bring against 
him. There was little difficulty in doing this. 
Only one man had really heard the incautious 
words of Plautius the day of his arrival ; but 
half a dozen others were ready to swear that 
they, too, were present at the time, and heard 
what he said, and, as may be easily imagined, 
the original words had received several addi- 


158 


Flavia. 


tions from each, so that the whole charge was 
no light one with these addenda ; and it seemed 
scarcely possible that Plautius could escape 
being doomed to the beasts at the next games, 
for his enemies knew well enough that he could 
not deny any of their intended charges without 
denying his religion too, a thing that few ever 
expected, for the obstinacy of these Christians 
had almost passed into a by-word. 


The Victim. 


159 


CHAPTER XII. 

THE VICTIM. 

P LAUTIUS was on his way home, carefully 
noting the signs of the coming short 
winter, and thinking of his old home in the 
valley of the Aricia, and how he had looked for- 
ward to each Bacchanalian festival with joyful 
expectation, when a hand was suddenly laid 
upon his shoulder, and on looking round he 
found himself face to face with the Roman 
guard sent to arrest him. To expostulate was 
useless ; the men would not even allow him to 
go home and inform his wife of what had 
happened. 

She will hear it soon enough,” said one of 
the men roughly ; thou wilt be brought before 
the prefect to-morrow morning, and some mis- 
erable Christian hound will be in the crowd 
and can go and tell her, if she be not sent for 
to answer for her crimes.” 

What crimes ? ” asked Plautius. We are 
honest, quiet citizens working for our daily bread, 
and—” 

“ And bringing ruin on all the empire by thy 


j.6o 


Flavia. 


superstition, and railing against the gods/' in- 
terrupted one of his captors angrily. ‘‘ I would 
rid the world of every atheist and Christian if 
I were emperor.” 

“ Come, come, we are wasting time,” said the 
captain of the guard as he examined the chain 
that had been attached to the prisoner’s wrists ; 
and the next minute they were marching back 
towards the gate of the city, while Plautius was 
thinking sadly of his wife’s fear and anxiety 
through the lonely hours of the night. If 
Nerissa was only at hand, and could go to her, 
she would not be so lonely ; but they had never 
heard of Nerissa, and so there was little to com- 
fort and much to disquiet the poor man as he 
sat in his gloomy dungeon thinking of wife and 
child, and wondering what his punishment 
would be, for he knew the charge to be brought 
against him was that of railing against the gods. 

Plautius was certainly startled with the over- 
whelming amount of evidence brought against 
him by the witnesses, each of whom affirmed 
that he had himself heard the prisoner call their 
gods demons, and wish that their worship might 
soon come to an end and themselves over- 
thrown. 

Certainly he had said as much, perhaps to 
his own wife at home, and once he had been 


The Victim. i6l 

incautious enough to say something like this 
to his friend Germanicus, but it was when he 
first came, and then there was no one else near, 
and he had been careful not to do it since, so 
that it was impossible for all these people to 
have heard it, as they asserted. The prefect 
heard the evidence, and then, addressing the 
prisoner, said there was a shorter way than 
listening to either his denial or affiremation of 
the charge. He could sacrifice at once to the 
goddess Rhea, and pour out a libation to their 
god Dionysus, and then he would be set at 
liberty. 

Plautius glanced at the tripod, from which 
the smoke of the incense went curling upward, 
and one of the attendants, thinking he was 
about to yield to the demands of the prefect, 
fetched the spices ready for him to throw on 
the sacred flame. But Plautius pushed it aside 
as it was handed to him. 

Thinkest thou I will deny the Lord who 
redeemed me from the service of these dumb 
idols ? ” he said. 

“ Swear by the godhead of the emperor and 
thou shalt be free,” said the prefect, anxious to 
save him if possible. 

A murmur of dissatisfaction went through 
the crowd. 


i62 


Flavia. 


‘‘The gods will shake our city with earth- 
quake, even as they did Philadelphia not long 
since, if these Christians are not put down,” 
grumbled one in an audible whisper, and several 
others spoke in a similar manner. 

The prefect might sneer at their gods in the 
privacy of his own chamber, but he scarcely 
dared to sneer at the expression of public 
opinion, and it was useful to pay some outward 
respect to the popular deities whatever he 
might think of their power, for it gave him a 
greater hold upon the people, and helped him to 
govern them ; and so, finding that Plautius 
would not swear by the emperor any more than 
he would sacrifice to the gods, he ordered him 
to be given over to the lictors to be scourged 
with their rods, and afterward taken back to 
prison. 

Meanwhile Irene had passed an anxious, 
sleepless night, watching for her husband's re- 
turn. Early the next day she had taken her 
child to the vineyard in search of him, fearing 
that some accident had overtaken him, and she 
continued this search for several hours, wan- 
dering up and down every alley, and visiting 
every nook and corner. 

Weary and anxious, not knowing which way 
to turn, or where to inquire for her husband, 


The Victim. 


163 


ignorant, as she was, of the language of the 
country, she had paused in the wood leading 
to the cottage, when she saw the noble, ven- 
erable figure of their bishop. Polycarp, com- 
ing toward her. In a moment it flashed up- 
on her that he was coming to see her, and 
in spite of her anxiety for her husband, she 
hastened on to the cottage and opened the 
door and placed a seat in readiness, for Poly- 
carp was growing feeble, and was weary, she 
could see. 

In a minute or two he came up to the door, 
and Irene invited him to come in and rest him- 
self awhile. 

Art thou the wife of Plautius the vine- 
dresser } asked Polycarp. 

‘‘ Yes,” answered Irene, her heart slowly 
dying within her as she noticed the look of 
anxious concern on the gentle face of the 
bishop. 

Is — is my husband in trouble ? ” she asked 
under her breath. 

'' My daughter, be of good cheer ; the Lord 
hath stood by Plautius this day, and enabled 
him to witness a good confession before all 
men,” said the bishop. 

Irene started. “ My husband — my husband ! ” 
she gasped, “ is he — have they cast him to the 


164 


Fla VI A. 


lion,” her mind going back to that awful scene 
in the arena at Rome. 

Nay, nay ; be comforted, my daughter. 
Plautius still lives, and may be with thee 
shortly,” said Polycarp ; and he took the child 
tenderly from her arms and seated it on his 
knee. 

“ P'orgive me,” said Irene as she burst into 
tears ; “ but I have grown overanxious for my 
Plautius. Thou sayest he is coming speedily,” 
she added, glancing out of the open door in the 
hope that she might see him coming down the 
road. 

“ The Church will pray for his deliverance 
out of the hands of our enemies. He was 
taken before the prefect this morning and 
charged with railing against the gods of 
Smyrna, but I doubt not he will be re- 
leased from prison shortly,” said the bishop. 

Irene was not a heroine, but a poor weak 
woman, and fora few minutes nature triumphed 
over faith, and wringing her hands she cried : 
“ O my Plautius, my Plautius, who will care 
for our babe when thou art taken away ! I anx 
a stranger here, in a strange land.” 

“ Nay, but thinkest thou that God is a 
stranger here ? Dost thou forget his promises 
to the fatherless and widows, and thinkest 


The Victim. 165 

thou that our brethren in Christ will forget thy 
necessities ? ” said Polycarp quickly. 

Nay, think not of me, but of Plautius,’* 
sobbed Irene. 

“ The Church of Christ will care for both of 
ye,” and in proof of this I have come to bid thee 
welcome to the house of our deaconess until 
thy husband is released. She cannot speak 
the Latin tongue, it is true, but kindness can 
make itself understood without words, and of 
this thou wilt be certain with our sister.” 

He would not tell her of her husband’s full 
punishment just now. By and by, perhaps, she 
would be better able to bear it ; but the first 
shock was almost too much for her as it was. 
Many coveted the martyr’s crown, but Irene 
was not one of these. She shrunk from pain 
and suffering, both for herself and those dear to 
her, and now she could only take her babe in 
her arms and shed bitter tears over him as she 
thought of his father’s probable fate. 

Polycarp knew she would be better after her 
grief had had its way, and so he did not try to 
check her tears, but gently pointed her to the 
great Sufferer, who could sympathize with her 
fully and entirely, and who would certainly be 
with her in her loneliness as well as with her 
husband in the prison. 


Flavia. 


1 66 

But Irene shook her head sadly. “ Nay, nay, 
but I dare not take such comfort to myself,” 
she said, “ for I am so weak and faithless I 
would grudge my Plautius being sacrificed even 
for the name of the Lord Christ.'” 

‘‘ But He who knows the heart of woman 
understands its weakness and how to make 
it strong. He bids thee come to him because 
thou art weak. Let us pray to him even now, 
not only for Plautius, but for other of our 
brethren who may be as sorely tried ; ” and 
Polycarp, raising his eyes to heaven, pleaded 
with God as one who spoke face to face with a 
friend. 

When this was concluded he bade Irene 
gather what clothes she would need for herself 
and her child, and shutting the cottage door, 
they set off on their walk to Smyrna. On the 
way Irene spoke to the bishop about her sister, 
and how disappointed she had been at not find- 
ing her in Smyrna. Polycarp, however, seemed 
to think she might be there, although they had 
failed to trace her. Smyrna is a wealthy and 
luxurious place,” he said. Many of our citi- 
zens keep three or four hundred slaves, and if 
thy sister is waiting-maid to some fashionable 
lady she may not be able to join the Church of 
Christ here. The Lord hath many hidden ones 


The Victim. 16/ 

I doubt not, in this evil,- licentious city,” added 
the gentle bishop. 

Irene was received with every demonstration 
of kindness by the deaconness, who was her- 
self the widow of one who had suffered perse- 
cution, even unto death, in the reign of the 
Emperor Hadrian, and so she could sympathize 
with poor Irene, and managed to make her 
sympathy felt and understood, although she 
knew nothing of the language in which her 
visitor spoke. 

Polycarp did not stay long after he saw Irene 
comfortably settled and had himself rested, for, 
aged as he was, he had much to do just now, 
for his flock must not only be encouraged to be 
brave and true to their Lord should this threat- 
ened persecution become general, but the 
Church had wisely forbidden any one needless- 
ly to expose their lives, or to give themselves 
up to the magistrates to be tried as Christians. 
If the trial of their faith came in the path of 
duty, then they must not deny their Lord ; but 
to seek the crown of martyrdom as some sur- 
passing glory was expressly forbidden ; and so 
Polycarp went to his flock to teach prudence 
and discretion as well as faith and hope, for 
man}t might be carried away at this time to 

speak not only against the dumb idols, but 
11 


Fla VI A. 


1 68 

against the rulers and magistrates ; and so, 
although Polycarp spoke of the prisoning chains 
as holy diadems of the truly elect of God,” 
he yet exhorted them not only to pray for the 
saints and the Church of Christ, but said like- 
wise, ‘‘ Pray also for kings, and potentates, and 
princes, and for those that persecute and hate 
you, and for the enemies of the cross, that your 
fruit may be manifest to all.” 

These words had been writte'n to the Philip- 
pians when their aged bishop, Ignatius, had 
been taken from them, and suffered death in 
the arena at Rome ; and he found it needful to 
exhort his own flock in a similar strain, for 
many were angry at the treatment of Plautius, 
and expressed it openly. 

If the prefect thought to pacify the angry 
mob and the wily pnests of Rhea with the sacri- 
fice of one victim he was mistaken. The cry 
taken up against the Christians was not so 
easily quelled. The Jews were quite as hot 
and quite as fierce in their denunciations of 
these people, and many of the merchants of 
the city being Jews, the disquiet spread and 
increased until a riot was again threatened. 
Then came news of the disturbances at Ephe- 
sus, and that the proconsul had been obliged to 
commence a persecution against the Christians 


The Victim, 169 

in that city, and that many of them had sacrificed 
to the gods to escape further punishment. 

This news was received with widely different 
feelings by the two parties now ranged against 
each other. To the Christians it was sadly dis- 
heartening, and Polycarp not only addressed a 
letter to their bishop, Onesimus, who, like himself, 
had tasted the bitterness of slavery when young, 
but special prayers were offered in the Church 
for their Ephesian brethren, that they might not 
only be sound in the faith, rejecting the evil, 
sensual doctrine of the Nicolaitans or Gnostics, 
who denied that Christ had suffered for the sins 
of the world, or that he was God’s Son, as the 
Scriptures avowed, but that they might also be 
renewed and strengthened in faith and love. 

To the Jews and priests of the popular tem- 
ples, who were now making common cause 
against the Christians, the tidings brought every 
encouragement for them to persevere in their 
demands, and accordingly a large crowd assem- 
bled before the prefect’s house, and at once 
commenced their old cry. '' The Christians to 
the lions, or Smyrna will be destroyed ! ” 

Again the prefect yielded. What could he 
do } These turbulent Greeks must be kept 
quiet, if possible, or he would lose his post. 
Had they been nearer Rome the old national 


Flavia. 


170 

republican spint might have been crushed en- 
tirely out of them by the legionaries of the 
emperor ; but now having little exercise in 
the way of lawful self-government, it sank into 
a brutal, lawless, furious demand, all the more 
fierce, because this was the only outlet it could 
find, and it must be gratified at whatever cost. 

This time Germanicus was seized and hurried 
oft to. prison, and for a time his persecutors 
were satisfied. It was a peace cheaply pur- 
chased, the prefect thought, for who esteemed 
these miserable, obstinate Christians ? The 
sect would soon die out, and the very name of 
it be forgotten in a few years, he had no doubt, 
and so he went, quite self-complacently, to take 
his daily bath, and discuss the size he should 
have his new fish-pond made, while Germanicus 
and his companion in bonds were encouraging 
themselves by prayer to brave the fury of their 
enemies, and witness a good confession before 
men if they should be called to seal their testi- 
mony with their blood. 

The vine-dresser’s chief anxiety had been re- 
moved by hearing that his wife and child had 
been tenderly cared for by the Church during 
his imprisonment, so that he could now resign 
himself more entirely to the will of God. Ger- 
manicus was a young man who had no such 


The Victim. 


171 


close ties ; but still life, with its social joys, was 
dear to him, and he could rejoice in the strength 
of a sound, temperate body until the lictors, 
with their cruel rods, left him a mass of blood 
and bruises, to die or to revive, whichever he 
could, without help or succor, after he had been 
thrust into the miserable dungeon where Plau- 
tius was still confined. Both prisoners felt it a 
great mercy to be placed together, and Plautius, 
who had endured the same suffering himself, 
did all he could to alleviate that of his com- 
panion ; but it depressed them both to think 
that this persecution was likely to become gen- 
eral, for where or when it would end none could 
tell if it spread from city to city, as it seemed 
likely to do. 


1/2 


Fla VI A. 


CHAPTER XIII. 

AYASALUK. 

HE story that had reached Smyrna con- 



JL cerning the Christians of Ephesus had 
been greatly exaggerated, as such accounts gen- 
erally are ; but it was quite true that the Eph- 
esians were also much degenerated since the 
days when they had brought their books of 
‘‘curious arts ” concerning the charms to be 
wrought by the mysterious letters on the crown 
and girdle of their goddess, and burnt them in 
the sight of all men. The value of these books 
has been estimated at from one to four million 
dollars, but they had learned to count all things 
but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of 
Christ Jesus. Little wonder was it that, “so 
mightily grew the Word and prevailed ” that 
many feared the temple of Artemis would be 
forsaken and the trade of Ephesus ruined. 

But these heroic days seemed to have passed 
away forever. Seventy years before this the 
Master had sent a message by the mouth of his 
servant John complaining, “Thou hast left thy 
first love. Remember, therefore, from whence 


Ayasabik. 173 

thou art fallen, and repent, and do thy first 
works, or else I will come unto thee quickly, 
and will remove thy candlestick out of his 
place, except thou repent.” 

Sadly had these words fallen from the lips of 
their apostle-bishop, John, and sadly were they 
again repeated now by Onesimus, for if Ephe- 
sus had returned to her first love ” and done 
her “ first works” Artemis would have had but 
few worshipers, and her midsummer fires would 
have long since been extinguished by the burn- 
ing of those books of mysteries so nobly given 
up at the preaching of Paul. 

But a time of trial had come to Ephesus, and 
while many, through fear of the consequences, 
conformed outwardly to the usages of her cor- 
rupt idolatrous society, others cheerfully en- 
dured persecution rather than deny their Lord 
and master ; while others, whom the world 
deemed happy and secure through the circum- 
stances in which they were placed, suffered 
“a great fight of afflictions” that no one knew 
of but He who strengthened them to endure it, 
and of this number was the noble Flavia. Each 
day she watched with growing concern the 
lines of care deepen on her husband’s brow ; 
and when she ventured to ask concerning his 
work at the Forum it was generally to hear 


174 


Flavia. 


that one or other of her Christian friends had 
publicly sacrificed to the gods, or been com- 
mitted to prison, and she knew that Escalus 
was living in daily, hourly terror lest she her- 
self should be the next summoned before the 
proconsul. This it was, she knew, that made 
him look prematurely old and worn ; that this 
fear was undermining his health, and robbing 
him of all joy and pleasure in life, and yet she 
had to endure it, though it was a daily mar- 
tyrdom more severe than stripes or imprison- 
ment. 

Often and often did the temptation come to 
her, when she heard of one and another sacrific- 
ing to the gods, to go herself to the temple of 
Artemis sometimes with other ladies of Ephe- 
sus. It would lift this load of trouble from her 
husband’s heart she knew, and they might be as 
happy and prosperous here as they had been at 
Rome. “ No one will be any the worse, for you 
can pray to God in secret all the same,” whis- 
pered the tempter again and again ; but although 
Flavia suffered so keenly she would not listen 
to the plausible suggestion. Alone with God 
in her chamber, she fought the enemy and con- 
quered. Sisidona knew that her sister must 
be enduring a fierce struggle at this time, and 
one day she ventured to ask her why she did 


Ayasaluk. 


175 


not follow the example of some of her friends, 
and pay a little outward respect to the gods, 
when it would save so much anxiety and 
trouble. 

Flavia was feeling very weary with the ac- 
cumulated cares that were pressing upon her, 
but she shook her head decidedly. 

“The Lord Jesus has redeemed me, and I 
must be loyal to him — loyal unto the end,” she 
added. 

Sisidona looked into the pale, worn face. 

“ Flavia,” she said, “ there are many other 
martyrdoms than those which the world wit- 
nesseth.” 

But her sister shook her head. “ Nay, nay, 
I am no martyr,” she said quickly. “ I can 
only just cling to the cross of the Lord Jesus 
and — ” 

“ And help me to lay hold of it, too,” whispered 
Sisidona, interrupting her. 

Flavia looked into the eyes that used to 
flash with such angry scorn when the name of 
Christ was mentioned, and saw ther^ a look 
of tenderness — almost happiness — she thought. 
“My sister, thou dost love the Lord Christ.^” 
she said questioningly. 

“ I do not know,” said Sisidona. “ I cannot 
be sure of this wayward, passionate heart ; but 


Flavia. 


176 

I believe the Lord Christ loves me, unworthy 
as I am. Flavia, would he accept the love of 
such a torn, bruised heart as mine, when the 
best, the first, love was given to Claudius } ” 
she asked. 

“ Yes, my Sisidona. He hath specially invit- 
ed such as thee, ' the weary and heavy laden,’ 
those whom the world hath beaten and buffeted 
with its storms, those who have sought restand 
satisfaction in earthly love and pleasure and 
found them cruelly deceptive, those who have 
tried every god in turn and could not find one 
to suit their needs— to these he says, ' Come 
unto me, and rest.’ ” 

“ And thou canst rest, Flavia, or thou couldst 
not bear all thou hast to endure,” said Sisidona. 

‘‘Yes! He who hath borne my sins now 
carries my sorrows,” said Flavia almost tri- 
umphantly. 

Sisidona had not recovered health and 
strength very rapidly, but she was progressing 
fairly now, and was able to go out in her litter 
occasionally ; but she had not been to either of 
the fashionable temples, and Escalus feared that 
this fact would soon be noticed and commented 
upon by her former friends now that she was 
able to go out again. 

Sisidona had foreseen this difficulty, and de- 


Ayasahik. 


177 


dined to go out as long as possible. But when 
the spring came her physician's orders were 
imperative ; she must spend some hours of each 
day in the open air. Not merely going to the 
temple and home again,” added the physi- 
cian, who did not know that his patient had 
given up the service to the gods. Thou 
must leave the city behind thee, and get to 
the top of Mount Prion or Mount Pactyus, or 
follow the course of our river Cayster for a few 
miles.” 

This prescription of her medical adviser 
Sisidonawas inclined to quarrel with, but Flavia 
saw in it a relief from fashionable society, 
which she specially desired to avoid, both on 
her own and her sister s account now. Sisidona’s 
long illness had been sufficient excuse for her 
non-attendance at banquets and festive gather- 
ings of all kinds, for she could not attend these, 
she knew, without offending the prejudices of 
those who gave them, by omitting the libations 
poured to the gods, or honoring the lares and 
penates at every meal; and for her husband’s 
sake, she wished to avoid all possible causes of 
offense. 

Flavia likewise rejoiced, as it would give 
them many opportunities for quiet converse 
they might not otherwise have, for slaves were 


178 


Flavia. 


in such constant attendance upon them at home 
that it was often no easy matter to be entirely 
free, and so she readily seconded the physician's 
order. 

“We will go in our litters as far as the 
Magnesian Gate, and then we will walk to a 
little hillock in the valley beyond, where we 
can sit and rest," she said eagerly, and Sisi- 
dona assented to the proposal when she saw 
how much her sister’s heart was set upon this 
plan. 

So, early the next morning, they set off on 
their trip, and before the city gate was reached 
Sisidona began to feel stronger and better. It 
was a glorious morning. The sun was shining 
down upon the fresh tender green of the bud- 
ding myrtle hedges that inclosed the sloping 
gardens, causing them to glitter in his rays ; 
while the gentle twitter of birds, now busily 
engaged in building their nests in the ever- 
green oaks and cork trees, and the murmur of 
the rushing water of the Cayster on its way to 
the sea, yielded pleasant music. All these 
sights and sounds, from which Sisidona had so 
long been shut out, awoke a feeling almost akin 
to gladness in her heart, and she said, “ I do 
not wonder that men worship the gods of trees 
and fountains, and the earth itself, for it makes 


Ayasaluk. 1 79 

one feel glad to see these things in spite of 
other sorrows.” 

“ But to be able to worship their Creator, and 
to feel that he is not only thy God but thy 
Saviour and friend as well, is not this better 
than all the beautiful allegories and fancies 
concerning the gods ? ” asked Flavia. 

Sisidona’s eyes were more eloquent than any 
words she could have spoken, and as she walked 
by her sister’s side she pressed her hand in 
silent assent. Flavia, wilt thou take me to 
thy Church ? I should like to confess before 
men that I no longer believe in these dumb 
idols,” said Sisidona after a lengthened pasue. 

Flavia’s face shone with the joy she felt at 
this avowal. 

‘‘ God hath heard and answered my prayers,” 
she said, and it will doubtless strengthen the 
faith of many to hear of thy conversion at this 
time.” 

After a walk of nearly an hour through a 
lovely region of orange groves and vineyards 
skirting the foot of Mount Prion, where the 
breezes from the sea could gently fan the in- 
valid’s cheek, they reached a little quiet seques- 
tered spot sacred, to many hearts in Ephesus, 
and often visited by one and another who had 
never seen the sleeper beneath that lovely grass 


i8o Fla VI A. 

waving there, but had received new life from 
his words and treasured his command. “Little 
children love one another,” for here rested the 
exile of Patmos, the beloved disciple, John, 
and, sitting within sight of his tomb, Flavia told 
her sister all she had heard concerning his life, 
and of* the hope many had cherished, that he 
would tarr)^ on earth until his Lord came the 
second time in glory. 

“ O Flavia, if that glory could be revealed 
now !” exclaimed Sisidona quickly. “ If the Lord 
Christ should come in those clouds now slowly 
passing over the temple of Artemis, how con- 
founded all her priest and priestesses would be ! 
how astonished all Ephesus would be ! Dost 
thou not long for that day to come ? ” she 
asked. 

Flavia shook her head. “ I don’t think I 
do,” she said slowly and sadly. “ I can — I do 
pray that God’s kingdom may come in the 
hearts of men ; and sometimes I think this 
kingdom of grace will come before the glory, 
impossible as it seems to us now.” 

“ But, P'lavia, dost thou not want the enemies 
of Christ confounded, the wicked swept off the 
earth ? ” exclaimed Sisidona. 

“ But who are the wicked ? ” inquired Flavia, 
“ who are these enemies of Christ who are too 


Ayasaliik, 


i8i 


proud to accept his salvation ? My noble hus- 
band is one ; our emperor, Marcus Aurelius, is 
another ; and — ” 

But Sisidona held up her hand. “ I am self- 
ish even in my effort to love Christ,’’ she said. 
“ I forget even Claudius in my wish to grasp 
the promised crown.” 

The cross comes before the crown, little 
sister,” said Flavia, "‘and we are often apt to 
forget that.” 

'' But thou wilt help me to remember it, wilt 
thou not, Flavia, and thou wilt take me to the 
Christian Church the next time thou dost go, 
for I should like to become a member as soon 
as I can, before thy great Sabbath if possible.” 

It shall be as thou dost desire, little sister, and 
we will eat our joyful paschal supper together 
this year. The Jews, from whom we take this 
feast, eat it with bitter herbs, in token of sorrow ; 
but it can bring nothing but joy and blessed 
memories to a Christian, for it speaks to us of 
Him — ‘ the Lamb of God which taketh away 
the sins of the world ’ — and it will be indeed a 
joyful paschal, or Easter, to me when my sister 
sits down with me to commemorate the Lord’s 
death.” 

The time passed all too quickly to the two 
ladies lingering there by the apostle’s grave, 


i82 


Flavia. 


talking of the glory that should be revealed when 
his feet again trod the streets of the beautiful 
city where many years of his life had been 
spent. Could any one have told them that the 
very name of that city should pass away and 
only a heap of ruins mark the spot where it stood ; 
that the little hillock where they sat should 
in its name, Ayasaluk,” or Holy Divine,” 
alone tell where Ephesus, the proud, once flour- 
ished, they would have said it was impossible, 
and yet it is so at this day. A few half wild 
shepherds tend the flocks of sheep and goats 
amid the ruins of Ephesus, but other inhabi- 
tants it has none. Her noble harbor is a salt 
swamp, her shores deserted and utterly forgot- 
ten, for the Lord hath fulfilled his warning and 
removed her candlestick out of his place ” be- 
cause she hid her light under a bushel in the 
day when it should have given light to all the 
nations round. 

But at this time no such fate seemed possi- 
ble ; the streets were thronged with wealthy mer- 
chants, or men skilled in the curious arts ” of 
Artemis ; her market was full of bustling, ener- 
getic life ; the sides of the circling hills clothed 
with gardens and vineyards, and her splendid 
harbor crowded with vessels from all parts of 
the world. Looking at the beautiful city as 


Ayasaluk. 


183 


Flavia did, as she walked back to where she 
had left her slaves, the Lord’s prediction ap- 
peared almost impossible of fulfillment, and yet 
their bishop was constantly repeating its warn- 
ing words, and the ministers of the little con- 
gregations outside the walls were exhorted to 
teach their flocks to be true and faithful. 

Flavia was one of the most regular and devout 
worshipers of the Church, which used to meet 
in a large upper chamber of the bishop’s house. 
Spies were often seen lurking round this neigh- 
borhood, and the lady often feared that she 
should be recognized, perhaps arrested, for thus 
meeting with Christians, and she told her sister 
of this danger before they entered the city 
gates. But it did not alter Sisidona’s deter- 
mination. ‘'I am not afraid,” she said. ‘‘I 
have less to fear than thou hast.” So a few 
weeks afterward Sisidona was admitted into 
Christ’s visible Church, promising at her bap- 
tism to be his servant and soldier, to fight 
under his banner, and be loyal unto the end. 

A few days later the sisters sat down to- 
gether to the paschal feast, which was followed 
the same evening by the Lord's supper — the 
first and last time Sisidona partook of that holy 
ordinance in Ephesus. Flavia had been watched 
many times, and regular as Escalus might be 
12 


Flavia. 


184 

in his attendance at the temple of Artemis, 
every body in the city knew that his wife was a 
Christian. They, however, feared to bring the 
charge against her yet. By and by, perhaps, it 
might be done more successfully, so they waited 
and watched still, and saw Sisidona come with 
her ; and when this visit had been repeated a 
few times, they determined to accuse her of 
holding this superstition and forsaking the gods 
of Ephesus. 

But before this charge could be formally 
brought forward, th^ proconsul, who had heard 
of it and desired to escape such an unpleasant 
complication of affairs, advised Escalus to with- 
draw from Ephesus for a time, and to try and 
induce his wife and her sister to give up all 
connection with this obstinate sect of Christians. 
The first part of this advice Escalus readily 
agreed to act upon. To say that he was ill and 
needed a skillful physician was true enough, 
and so a journey to Pergamos was at once 
planned and prepared for, and people who knew 
the family secret wondered how it was that the 
wife of one so devoted to the gods could be a 
Christian. 


Philadelphia. 


I8S 


CPIAPTER XIV. 

PHILADELPHIA. 

PIILE the household of Escalus were 



V V packing the linen and household goods 
— absolute necessaries for the long journey to 
Pergamos — their master went to the neighbor- 
ing city of Laodicea, to inquire for the procon- 
sul how the persecution progressed. It was 
not expected by the Roman governor that this 
city would give them much trouble in the ques- 
tion of their faith, for they were decorous, well- 
to-do people, by no means obstinate in the mat- 
ter, and quite willing to sacrifice to the gods if 
trouble was likely to follow their refusal to doit. 
Indeed, it was done so complacently, and with 
such a self-satisfied air, that those who saw it 
thought there could be little difference between 
the God of heaven, whom they professed to 
love and serve, and the gods of Olympia, whom 
their companions called idols and demons. 

Escalus wished he had brought his wife with 
him when he heard this account. They are 
sensible, worldly-wise people ; I wish every body 
was like them,” he said. 


Flavia. 


1 86 

Things would be much more comfortable 
if others would take example by them, and be 
less hot about this superstition which they call 
Christianity,’' remarked the prefect, to whom 
Escalus was speaking. 

Even so ; but then if this God of heaven, 
whom they profess to serve, is the only true 
God, as they say, I cannot quite understand 
how they can so easily worship the gods of 
Rome, as thou sayest they do ? ” 

Nay, they can believe in any god they 
like, so that they are not too hot about it, 
and speak against the rest. It is a comfort- 
able and pleasant way for every body in Lao- 
dicea.” 

Comfortable and pleasant for the Roman gov- 
ernor. But what had been said by the Lord of 
this Laodicean Church about this very coolness 
which he had so commended ? I know thy 
works, that thou art neither cold nor hot : I 
would thou wert cold or hot. So then because 
thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I 
will spew thee out of my mouth.” 

Escalus had never heard of this warning 
message — a warning not to Laodicea, but to 
Christians in all ages and all climes — and so 
he hastened back to assure the proconsul that 
no disturbances need be feared there, and to 


Philadelphia. 1 8 7 

beg his wife to follow the example set by the 
Laodicean Christians. 

But Flavia shook her head. '' I dare not/' 
she said, lest I share in their punishment, 
and be disowned by the Lord Jesus when he 
shall come again in glory.” The carelessness 
and love of ease of this Church was well known, 
and to this day the world is the poorer for it ; 
for St. Paul’s epistle to Laodicea, which was to 
be exchanged for reading with the Church at 
Colosse, was lost before the whole of them 
could be gathered together and copied for the 
benefit of all the Churches. 

Flavia told her sister of this, and likewise of 
the attempt that had been recently made to im- 
pose a forged epistle upon the Christians for 
the one that had so long been missing. 

‘‘And the Churches would not accept it?” 
questioned Sisidona. 

“ Nay, we could not accept what proved to be 
only a close imitation of the apostle’s writings,” 
replied her sister, drawing closer the curtains 
of her litter as she spoke, that her words might 
not be overheard by any one passing, for the 
streets were crowded. 

“ But if it differed not in teaching from the 
rest of Paul’s writings, why should it be exclud- 
ed ? ” asked Sisidona. 


Fla VIA. 


1 88 

Nay, nay ; but if we admitted one portion 
to the sacred Scriptures which we could not 
feel quite certain was inspired by the Holy 
Spirit, how could we keep this precious fountain 
of God’s word pure and untainted ? Then, if we 
admitted such books as we thought good and 
wise, those who copy them might by and by- 
add some more — the Gnostics would doubtless 
introduce their errors in this way — and our chil- 
dren would thus learn errors where truth alone 
should be found. No, no ; it is wise and seemly 
that even such epistles as that of Ignatius and 
Polycarp should be excluded from the sacred 
Scriptures, though they are wise and edifying, 
and may be read in our Churches to the com- 
fort of many souls.” 

Thus conversing in the seclusion of their 
litter, the two ladies tried to break the monot- 
ony of their journey, for, in spite of the numer- 
ous halts upon the road, Flavia knew she should 
be heartily tired of traveling before Pergamos 
was reached, for Escalus had resolved to make 
a wide detour to take the city of Philadelphia 
in their way northward. 

Most of the slaves had been left behind, but 
they still had a convoy of bearers, lictors, grooms, 
and nurses, in attendance on the children, num- 
bering almost a hundred ; so that, with these 


Pldladelphia. 


189 

and the chariots and litters, the cavalcade was 
no inconsiderable one, that slowly wound its 
way out of the gates of Ephesus, and took the 
mountain road toward the East. Once out of 
the city Flavia could lift the silken hangings of 
her litter and watch the light, fleecy clouds 
passing over the deep azure sky, or note the 
aspect of the travelers they met on their way to 
the city, for the calends of May were beginning, 
and hundreds were eager to reach Ephesus to 
join in the festival of Artemis. 

Looking on the gay. wealthy, eager throngs 
who were pressing forward now to join in her 
worship, it seemed impossible that it could ever 
be overthrown ; that the despised Christians 
should ever be other than a down-trodden, op- 
pressed people, poor and of no account either 
socially or politically, for society was on all 
hands ready to ban this new faith whenever 
it had the opportunity. That it progressed at 
all was in itself a standing miracle ; but that it 
did daily gain fresh converts from the ranks of 
its enemies, in spite of all the persecutions 
organized against it, was a fact that no one 
could dispute, and was taken by its friends as a 
proof of its divine origin. Flavia comforted 
herself and her sister with this thought as they 
reclined upon their cushions and watched the 


Flavia. 


190 

numerous travelers coming from all parts of 
Asia to be present at the great festival. 

It was aweary, toilsome journey up the mount- 
ain road. They had now left the region of surb- 
urban villas with their trim gardens, and the date 
and olive plantations, and were soon wending 
their way through a forest of oaks and pines, 
where the breezes were chill and cold, and they 
had to keep a careful eye on each side of the 
path lest they should stumble on a wild boar, or 
no less savage robber, for these forests afforded 
shelter to many lawless bands who lived by 
plundering travelers. At length oaks and pines 
began to yield to poplar, teak-wood, ebony, and 
sandal-wood trees, and the weary travelers knew 
that the most dangerous part of the forest was 
passed, and that they were nearing the plain on 
the eastern side of the mountain. 

Flavia could now notice the little bubbling 
springs that trickled and filtered through the 
stones down the side of the hill, many of them 
joining after a little distance and forming a brook 
of no mean use in that region, where no other 
refreshment could be obtained for man or beast. 

A few miles farther on they came to a hos- 
telry, where they found plentiful accommoda- 
tion, the slaves sleeping in barns and out-houses, 
for Escalus thought no more of his grooms and 


Philadelphia. 


191 

lictors than of his horses and mules, although 
he was considered a kind and considerate mas- 
ter by every body. 

The next part of their journey lay through a 
plain studded with olive yards, citron and spice 
groves, fields of cotton plants, wheat, and barley, 
diversified with meadows where flowers of every 
hue dotted the fresh green grass, while every 
breeze came laden with the perfume of these 
and the blossoms of the orange-trees that grew 
so luxuriantly in all directions. To Escalus, 
who had scarcely been beyond the city walls 
for a twelvemonth, and whose only relaxation 
from a wearisome round of duties had been a 
visit to the great amphitheater or the hippo- 
drome, the sights and sounds every-where greet- 
ing him were refreshing beyond description, 
and he ordered the cavalcade to travel slowly, 
and often came to walk by the side of his wife’s 
litter, or Flavia would alight and they would 
walk together along the lonely country roads. 

There was but one drawback to their mutual 
enjoyment of the lovely scene, and both felt it 
press heavily upon them at times. Flavia dared 
not give utterance to the glad thought that 
continually welled up in her heart, that these 
beauties by which they were surrounded were 
all the work of her Father in heaven, and proofs 


192 


Fla VIA. 


of his love to man, although they were so little 
regarded by him. Escalus, too, would have 
liked to talk of the beauties of nature, but this 
would lead him to the stories of Rhea, and 
Ceres, and Flora, and Apollo, and a host of other 
deities whom Flavia called demons now ; and 
so they often walked silently side by side, or 
talked of the children and the benefit they would 
derive from this journey. 

At length they began to draw near the vol- 
canic region in which Philadelphia was situated, 
and then over the lava-strewn roads the caval- 
cade quickened their pace, and the gates of the 
city were reached before they had any idea they 
were so close, for the usual landmarks by which 
travelers were guided were almost entirely want- 
ing, for every tower and lofty building had been 
overthrown, and Philadelphia was only half in- 
habited and wholly in ruins. Very different 
did its deserted streets look from the crowded 
thoroughfares of Ephesus ; and its inhabitants 
were not gay, fashionable people, who tried to 
out-do each other in the splendid appointments 
of their bronze or gilded chariots or the richness 
of their jeweled harness and splendor of their 
robes, but quiet, hard-working people, who had 
no choice but to stay in their half-ruined city. 
Steady, thoughtful, resolute men they looked ; 


Philadelphia. 193 

and Flavia, recalling the commendation this 
Church had received for patience and holding 
fast that which they had received from their 
teacher, Quadratus, one of John's own pupils, 
she wondered how the Gospel prospered now 
in this time of persecution. 

The coming of so distinguished a visitor as 
the Roman equity caused quite a sensation in 
the half-depopulated town ; but the Christians 
feared his visit boded no good to them, and 
their astonishment may therefore be imagined 
when Flavia and her sister sought out their 
angel," or minister, soon after they arrived, 
and presented a letter of greeting and kind 
inquiry after their state from their brethren at 
Ephesus. 

While Flavia by this visit was cheering the 
hearts and strengthening faith of this little 
band of true-hearted witnesses, her husband 
was receiving from the prefect a doleful account 
of their obstinacy and uncompromising refusal 
to worship any of the national gods. 

Escalus looked disconcerted when he heard 
this, for he had hoped that these people were 
like the Laodiceans, and that a little friendly 
intercourse with them would convince Flavia 
that she was needlessly obstinate in holding so 
fast to this God of hers, to the utter rejection 


194 


Flavia. 


of all others. He had felt so confident that 
things were as he wished in this respect that 
he had readily agreed to her seeking Quadratus, 
hoping by this means to induce her to yield to 
his wishes, in which case they might return to 
Ephesus instead of taking the long journey to 
Pergamos ; for his health would soon improve if 
the cause of his anxiety were thus removed, and 
there would be no need to convince people that 
he did not share in his wife’s superstition by 
going to the far-famed god of health, for she 
herself would refute the charge brought against 
her by going sometimes to the temple of Diana 
as well as to the secret gatherings of the 
Christians, which he would not ask her to 
give up. 

The prefect saw that his visitor was de- 
pressed and troubled, but Escalus was by no 
means disposed to trust him with the dangerous 
secret, that often cost him anxious days and 
sleepless nights, and resolved to leave Phila- 
delphia before it could be known to any one. 
The business he had come upon, which was to 
impress the prefect with the necessity of pleas- 
ing the Jews just now, at all costs, since they 
were wealthy and powerful in the State, was 
soon accomplished, and with little more than a 
passing glance at the prostrate columns, statues. 


Philadelphia, 


195 


and arches that lay in shattered heaps all round, 
he took his way along the great Roman road 
toward the north. 

How is it, my Escalus, that this city is left 
a heap of ruins ? ” asked Flavia as they once 
more began their march onward. 

‘^The empire is not so wealthy as it once 
was ; and though the Government helped to 
restore Ephesus and Smyrna, Thyatira and 
Sardis, it was not deemed wise to rebuild Phila- 
delphia, situated as it is in a region where 
earthquakes are so frequent;” said Escalus, 
glancing back at the shattered marble columns 
and gateways that testified so eloquently of the 
violence of the shock it had suffered. 

‘‘Poor Philadelphia — rich Philadelphia!” ex- 
claimed Flavia, as the sun lighted up its white 
stone walls. 

“Rich Philadelphia.^” repeated her husband. 
“The place is the poorest in the province of 
Lystra.” 

Flavia colored, and a painful sense that what 
she deemed true riches her husband would 
count the greatest poverty, came over her. “ It 
would be considered poor, I doubt not ; and 
yet it seems a pity that its name should die.” 

“ But it must die — the place is doomed,” said 
Escalus, rather testily. “ If they wanted the 


196 


Fla VI A. 


name of the prince after whom it was named to 
live through ages they should have given some 
other city this name, for now Philadelphia will 
speedily be forgotten by the world/' 

Nay, it was not so much the prince I was 
thinking of," said Flavia absently. 

‘‘ Brotherly love," said Escalus ; “ that is one 
of the things these obstinate Christians believe 
in, the prefect told me." 

Flavia raised her eyes to her husband's face. 
'‘Are the Christians of Philadelphia to be per- 
secuted.^" she asked timidly. 

" Persecuted ! " repeated Escalus.. " That is 
rather a hard woid, Flavia. We must yield to 
the strongly expressed wish of the people in 
these cities, which are only half Romanized, 
and if they demand that these Christians should 
be compelled to give up their strange worship 
we are compelled to accede to the demand." 

“And these Christians of Philadelphia said 
Flavia questioningly. 

“ That will depend upon their old enemies, 
the Jews. Just now, when the emperor must 
impose heavy taxes to meet the expenses of the 
war, these Jews must be pleased at all costs, 
for they are the chief merchants and traffickers 
in these provinces." 

“But the Jews are allowed to meet in their 


Philadelphia, 1 97 

synagogue without hinderance/' said Flavia ; 
and they worship the same God that we do/* 

Escalus smiled. ‘‘ I know nothing of thy 
God/* he said; '‘but I know the Jews and 
Christians hate each other, and that it is the 
Jews who are so frequently complaining of 
them.** 

Flavia attempted to explain the difference 
that existed between the two, but Escalus hasti- 
ly interrupted her. " I cannot listen to this,*’ 
he said ; “ thy God is nothing to me, and I am 
nothing to him,** saying which he escorted her 
back to her litter and mounted his chariot once 
more. 

Flavia looked sad as she lay back on her 
cushions beside her sister, and Sisidona no- 
ticed it. 

“ Is not Escalus so well V she asked. 

" It was not of my husband alone I was think- 
ing, but our brethren of Philadelphia, whom I 
fear will soon be given up to the fury of their 
enemies again,** said Flavia with a deep sigh. 

" Did Escalus tell thee this } ’* asked Sisi- 
dona. 

" Yes ; the Jews must be pleased at all costs 
just now;” and Flavia drew from her broad 
embroidered girdle a small roll of parchment. 
"These are the messages sent by the mouth of 


198 


Flavia. 


John from the Lord himself to the Churches of 
Lydia and Mysia, and our brethren of Phila- 
delphia will need the comfort of theirs, I doubt 
not. Listen Sisidona. ‘ Because thou hast kept 
the word of my patience, I also will keep thee 
from the hour of temptation, which shall surely 
come upon all the world, to try them that dwell 
upon the earth.’ Yes, the Lord will stand by 
them, though the Romans may give them up to 
the fury of the Jews,” she said as she replaced 
her precious manuscript, and thought how often 
she had tested the truth of the promises she 
had read during the last twelvemonth. 


At Pcrganios. 


199 


CHAPTER XV. 

AT PERGAMOS. 

S EVERAL weeks were spent in traveling 
from Philadelphia to Pergamos, for more 
than once they had to make a prolonged stay 
at some of the villages at which they halted, for 
Escalus was taken seriously ill when they were 
a few miles from the former city ; but he per- 
sistently refused to have a physician called to 
him. The famous god of healing, Esculapius, 
would restore him to perfect health as soon as 
he could reach his temple, he said, and all 
Pdavia’s persuasions to allow her to send for as- 
sistance before they came to their journey’s 
end were useless. Once or twice Flavia feared 
he would be unable to accomplish the journey, 
and painful as it was to know that her husband 
sought for restored health through the charms 
of divination of an idol priest, she could not but 
feel thankful when the lofty conical hill that 
gave its name to Pergamos was in view. They 
pressed on toward the fortified mountain or 
“ burg ” with renewed energy, and a few hours 
saw them in the beautiful valley that was 
13 


200 


Fla VI A. 


crowded with temples to Apollo and Jupiter, 
Diana and Venus, as well as to the favorite 
deity Esculapius, with his familiar companion, 
a huge serpent, which was said to have taught 
him the art of healing. 

Unlike Ephesus or Philadelphia, Pergamos 
was beautiful by nature rather than by art. 
Groves of the choicest and loveliest trees skirted 
the fortified mountain®, and beneath the shadow 
of these were statues and altars of every deity 
of Greece and Rome. To these came invalids 
with their friends, an almost endless crowd of 
worshipers, each, like Escalus, confident that 
the son of Apollo could restore them to health. 
Accompanied by two of his chief slaves, Escalus 
went to sacrifice to Esculapius the very day 
of his arrival, and having performed all the rites 
prescribed by the flamen, he decided to sleep in 
the sacred temple, as he heard that the remedy 
for his disease could only be communicated in 
the sacred shadow of its walls and during the 
hours of darkness. 

Flavia was not aware of this when he left her, 
and so one of the slaves was dispatched to in- 
form her that Escalus would sleep in the temple 
to meet the satyr, or saviour-god, and would 
return early the next day. She was sitting 
with her sister and her children when the 


Pergainos. 


201 


message was delivered, and she could not 
repress a shiver of horror as she heard the name 
Esculapius had assumed to himself. 

The satyr — the saviour-god,” she repeated. 

Sisidona, we will pray to-night that the true 
Satyr may be revealed to my noble Escalus ; ” 
and so, while he lay sleeping within the sacred 
shadow of Esculapius and his serpent, Flavia 
wrestled with God in prayer on behalf of her 
blinded but beloved husband. 

Unlike most of his compeers at this time, 
who believed in nothing in heaven or earth, and 
conformed to the usages of society in worship- 
ing the gods merely because it was fashionable, 
and a means of keeping down the poor and 
ignorant multitude, Escalus was a true and 
devout disciple of the Olympian deities ; and so 
when he awoke the next morning from a sound 
sleep, it was with a feeling of disappointment 
he discovered that he was no better than when 
he entered the temple. Suddenly, however, he 
remembered that the remedy was to be revealed 
to him by the god, and not applied, and he tried 
to recollect whether he had seen a vision or 
been visited by Esculapius in any form ; but 
he could recall nothing. His sleep had been 
entirely dreamless, so far as he could remem- 
ber, and he was about to leave the temple feel- 


202 


Fla VIA. 


iiig both vexed and mystified, when a flamen 
appeared and kindly inquired after the state of 
his health. 

Escalus told him he felt no better for sleeping 
in the temple, and expressed his disappoint- 
ment that no remedy had been revealed to him 
either. 

A smile of mingled scorn and pity curled the 
flamen’s lip for a moment. I am not surprised,” 
he said ; it often happens thus ; but be not dis- 
quieted, we have a college of medicine adjoin- 
ing this temple and I am one of its physicians.” 

Escalus looked at the man in his long white 
robes. “ A physician and not a flamen,” he 
said slowly. 

‘‘ Yes, I am both, and I find full occupation,” 
he said. 

But I came not to this shrine of healing to 
consult a physician, but to be cured by the god 
himself,” said Escalus. 

“ And art thou so besotted and blind that 
thou dost believe with the ignorant multitude 
all—” 

‘‘ I believe that Esculapius can heal me,” in- 
terrupted Escalus angrily. 

Then let him do it,” retorted the flamen ; 
and turning on his heel he walked away. 

Escalus gazed after him for a moment, a tide 


Pergainos. 203 

of bitter, resentful feeling taking possession of 
his heart. So these physicians robbed the god 
of his honor by pretending to cure patients 
with their vile decoctions. Little wonder was 
it that the Chr^tians spoke against the gods, 
when even their own servants acted so dis- 
honorably, and he went home highly incensed 
with the flamen. 

Flavia met him with a look of anxious con- 
cern upon her countenance, but Escalus 
would not impart to her the secret cause of his 
annoyance. 

I slept too soundly last night, Flavia,” he 
said, in answer to her questioning look. “ I 
will take another sacrifice to-day, and ask the 
priest to make a special inquiry on my be- 
half ; ” and having rested and taken a bath, 
two white doves were procured, and with 
these, and a good sum in Roman gold, Escalus 
once more sought the far-famed shrine of Es- 
culapius. 

Borne in a litter, with such a train of slaves 
in attendance as became his rank, Escalus once 
more entered the sacred grove, and alighting at 
the steps, he hastened to present his offering 
and sacrifice to the officiating flamen. A crowd 
of priests in long white robes, each bearing a 
wand, around which a serpent was entwined, 


204 


Flavia. 


lined the approach to the altar, and to one of 
these Escalus made known his desire to con- 
sult the oracle of the god without delay. 

The auspices will carefully inspect the en- 
trails, and make known the resuff,” said the priest 
in a hollow whisper, while the sacrificing priest 
received the birds from his attendant, and one 
was fastened down by a cord to two rings 
fixed at the side of the altar, so that it lay on its 
back, and, though it struggled, could not move 
from the spot. With one stroke the breast was 
opened, and the priest, with his keen-bladed 
knife, took out the liver and entrails almost as 
soon as its death struggle had ceased, and then 
while it was being consumed amid the odors 
of myrrh and frankincense, he proceeded to ex- 
amine them very carefully. The brain of the 
second bird was examined instead of the liver, 
and both being declared to augur a favorable 
reply from the god, a low chant was taken up by 
the whole band, which grew quicker as they 
proceeded, until at last it amounted to almost a 
scream, when one, rushing forward toward the 
figure of the god himself, shrieked, and danced, 
and leaped like one possessed. 

At length came a low, hollow sound, and the 
chant sank to a low cadence, and the chief priest 
ceased his exertions, and fell prostrate to the 


205 


PergiUnos. 

ground in the attitude of reverential listening to 
the voice of the god. He interpreted the words 
that were spoken, for no one but he could 
understand that voice, and these were com- 
municated to an augur standing near, and by 
him borne to the anxious Escalus. 

Sleep in the temple to-night,” was the 
message he again received ; and feeling any 
thing but pleased at the result of his errand, he 
went home, resolving, however, to obey the 
command once more. That he might not be so 
drowsy again he rested during the remaining 
hours of the day, and after acquainting Flavia 
with his intention of passing another night 
in the temple, he ordered his litter and 
reached the sacred edifice soon after sunset. 

There was little fear of his sleeping to-night. 
He was not only anxious to be cured of the 
disease that he knew was slowly but surely 
sapping the springs of his life, but he felt jeal- 
ous of the honor of Esculapius, and was anxious 
to defend him from the invidious whispered 
sneers of those physicians who sought to rob 
him of his due honor by declaring that he could 
not heal his votaries without their assistance, 
for such was the general belief in Pergamos, he 
found. 

So, instead of lying down on the mattress 


2o6 


Flavia. 


provided, as on the previous night, he sat near 
the entrance and watched the hosts of glittering 
stars as they came out one by one, shining 
down from the deep purple heavens like burn- 
ing eyes that would scorch and consume all 
that offended them in this lower sphere. That, 
at least, was the fancy that took possession of 
the mind of Escalus to-night, for in the shadowy 
stillness of the temple he had time to conjure 
up all kinds of imaginings ; but this was the 
one that took the greatest hold of him, and 
remained with him most persistently. From 
the reverie into which this had plunged him 
he was aroused by the sound of voices singing 
a low chant, not unlike a funeral dirge, and 
moving a little nearer to the open space and 
listening intently, he could recognize distinctly 
the Asiatic Greek of the native tongue. He 
could understand the words, too, but they 
startled him not a little, for, although a funeral 
dirge, it spoke of the land of shades as a land 
of light and peace and joy. Could it be possible 
that any mourner could entertain such wild 
hopes as these ? Surely it must be a band of 
lunatics, for whoever heard of such anticipations 
as these being cherished ? 

But he had heard of this strange belief before, 
and he suddenly remembered that his wife had 


Pergamos, 207 

once attempted to explain it to him ; but he 
had stopped her, as, being connected with the 
forbidden subject of her religion, he could not 
listen to it. Now, however, that he had nothing 
to do but watch the stars and wait the coming 
of Esculapius, he thought he might beguile the 
time by listening for a few minutes to this Chris- 
tian hymn, it would do him no harm, and Flavia 
need not know of it ; and so he placed himself 
near one of the pillars, just where he could 
hear most advantageously. 

He almost shuddered as he listened, for the 
hymn that was sung seemed to breathe aloud 
the reverie he had been indulging, for it spoke 
of God looking down from his dwelling-place in 
heaven upon all the sons of men — looking with 
tenderest pity and love upon all, but especially 
upon those who had accepted his offer of peace 
and salvation through Jesus Christ. 

‘'Jesus Christ!” repeated Escalus ; “then 
there are Christians here, and this is a Chris- 
tian funeral ; ” and he left the sacred inclosure, 
and keeping under the shadow of the trees, 
silently drew near the spot from whence the 
singing proceeded. The body had been lowered 
into the grave, and the singing was concluded ; 
but the service was not yet over it seemed, for 
an elderly man was speaking to the little crowd 


208 


Flavia. 


of mourners and friends gathered round, bid- 
ding them not sorrow as those without hope 
for their Lord and Master, who had passed into 
the heavens beyond their sight, had called the 
departed one into his immediate presence, 
where, with saints and angels, she was now 
singing the praise of Him who had washed her 
in his own blood, and made her faultless by his 
own grace, having redeemed her from the evil 
of the world and of her own sinful nature. 

Under the shadow of an almond-tree the 
young Roman equity heard words he had never 
heard before. Could they be true, or were 
these people really deceived } Certainly they 
were in earnest, for there was no aim at effect 
— no seeking to attract the attention or to im- 
press its votaries with any mystery or awe at 
this midnight funeral ; and as Escalus crept 
back to the temple he felt glad that he was in 
the proconsulate of Mysia, instead of being 
within the bounds of his own jurisdiction, for it 
would be no breach of duty for him to keep 
what he had heard a secret now, as it might be 
if they were near Ephesus. 

All through the hours of the night he pon- 
dered over what he had heard, and almost 
started when the first streak of dawn came 
slowly stealing over the marble pavement at 


Pergamos. 


209 


his feet. No voice had as yet broken the still- 
ness of the silent temple, and Escalus, as a 
relief to his troubled thoughts, slowly passed 
out to the open space once more, and, turning 
his face toward the east, watched the stars fade 
out one by one before the golden radiance that 
came streaming over all the sky just before the 
god of day himself appeared. 

Escalus stood and gazed at the glorious vision 
of beauty as it gradually unfolded one glory 
after another, bathing every thing in its golden 
glow, and there arose in his mind one of the 
questions of the night. Was there after all but 
one God who created the heavens and the earth ^ 
and was Apollo a mere fiction of man’s brain } 
The boldness of such a thought shocked Esca- 
lus, and he returned to the temple to watch and 
wait a little longer. 

Certainly his faith in Esculapius was very 
much shaken, and he questioned his right to 
the term of satyr now. Shortly afterward a 
flamen appeared, and repeated the question of 
the previous morning. 

I have neither seen nor heard any thing ! 
answered Escalus, quite ignoring the inquiries 
about his health. 

“ Then thou must put thyself under the care 
of the physicians. We are too wise not to 


210 


Flavia, 


have a college of medicine near the temple/' 
answered the flamen complacently. 

Art thou in earnest ? asked Escalus. 

Quite so ! ” replied the man. “ Thou art 
not one of the ignorant multitude, and so thou 
dost not need to be told that it is necessary to 
keep up the rites and ceremonies of the temple 
to keep them in subjection, for thou knowest 
it, and so I will be confidential, and tell thee 
Esculapius is no better than the rest. His 
shrine hath worshipers, because the physicians 
heal the sick in his name. They could do just 
as well without it ; but the ignorant must be 
impressed. Besides, there are priests, fiamen, 
augurs, and slaves almost without number, to 
be supported out of the offerings made to him.” 

Escalus listened in a sort of stupid wonder 
to what the man said. He had heard the same 
concerning other gods again and again, but it 
never entered beyond his brain. Now, how- 
ever, a vail seemed suddenly to be torn away, 
and a conviction that the man was speaking 
the truth now, at least, pierced through brain 
and heart alike. Silently he passed out of the 
temple a few minutes afterward — passed out 
with every belief in the power of the gods over- 
thrown and in ruins. 


Satan's Seat. 


21 1 


CHAPTER XVI. 

SATAN’S SEAT. 

F LAVIA was greatly disappointed when 
she heard that Escalus had decided to 
pass a second night in the temple of Esculapius, 
and this feeling was intensified when her sister 
related what she had heard from some of the 
members of the Church here concerning the 
god worshiped at Pergamos. 

Flavia had been charged with a letter of 
greeting from the Bishop of Ephesus to his co- 
worker in the Gospel at Pergamos, and being 
unable to deliver this herself, at once Sisidona 
Jiad taken it. But on reaching the house of the 
bishop she heard that his wife was dead, and 
was to be buried that evening, and at the same 
time a cordial invitation was given her to at- 
tend the funeral ; while, in a conversation she 
had with the bishop’s daughter, she was told to 
be careful not to talk about this before strangers, 
as a great deal of active enmity had been shown 
lately by the priests of the Evil One toward 
the Christians. 

“ The priests of the Evil One,” repeated 


212 


Fla VIA. 


Flavia, when her sister related the conversa- 
tion to her. 

‘‘Yes,” answered Sisidona. “ Pergamos is 
really ‘where Satan's seat is,' and ‘where Satan 
dwelleth;' for this worship of Esculapius is 
only the slightest modification of the worship 
of the Evil One, represented by his companion, 
the serpent.” • 

“ And my noble Escalus will bow down to 
that old serpent the devil, and refuse to wor- 
ship the God of heaven, the Father of light. 
O, Sisidona, what shall I do 

“ We can only pray for him, my sister.” 

“ But I have prayed — prayed, and waited, and 
hoped,” said Flavia, rising in her seat and pacing 
up and down the chamber in her agitation. 

“ Plavia, do not despair,” whispered Sisidona 
gently. “ The Lord can use the most unlikely 
means for the accomplishment of his purpose.” 

But Flavia shook her head. “ Escalus seems 
more wholly given to the worship of this god 
than ever before,” she said ; “and to think it is 
Satan himself thus ignorantly worshiped is 
worse than all.” 

To turn the conversation Sisidona spoke of 
the funeral that was to take place, and asked 
if her sister would accompany her, but Flavia 
declined. 


Satan's Seat, 


213 


‘‘ Neither of the children are quite well,” she 
said ; “ and I should prefer being alone this 
evening while Escalus is at the temple.” 

‘‘Not alone, Flavia,” whispered her sister 
gently, “for thou knowest the promises, ‘ Lo, I 
am with you alway, even unto the end of the 
world,’ and ‘whatsoever ye shall ask the Father 
in my name, he will do it.’ ” 

“ I have been forgetful of the promises and 
faithless of late, I fear,” said Pdavia with a deep- 
drawn sigh as she returned her sister’s embrace, 
for Sisidona had arranged to attend a short serv- 
ice at the church before going to the funeral. 

It was not surprising that Flavia should feel 
depressed at this time, for the critical condition 
*of her husband’s health, and the prolonged jour- 
ney they had just accomplished, made her both 
anxious and weary, and the mental and spirit- 
ual condition is more dependent upon the phys- 
ical health and strength than many suppose. 

After Sisidona had gone out and the children 
had been visited Flavia returned to her chamber, 
and, dismissing her attendant slaves, prepared 
to pass the night in prayer and reading from 
the parchment-roll the promises of God, which 
were all “yea and amen” to her “in Christ 
Jesus.” Was it strange that as she read and 
wrestled with God in prayer in behalf of her be- 


214 


Flavia. 


loved husband a light and joy should suddenly 
fill her soul, chasing all the darkness of doubt 
from her mind and giving her the blessed assur- 
ance that her prayers would yet be answered. 

It was late when Sisidona returned, so she 
did not go to her sister’s chamber to deliver the 
message sent by the bishop, who, in spite of his 
own grief and sorrow at this time, was not un- 
mindful of the strangers who had come to so- 
journ with them for a season, and who had 
thought it needful to send a word of warning 
against offending the prejudices of the priests 
or worshipers of Esculapius. Sisidona herself 
had been somewhat puzzled by several things 
she had seen and heard among her fellow-Chris- 
tians, for while some maintained that the wor- 
ship of this son of Apollo was tantamount to 
honoring the prince of evil himself, others de- 
clared that an idol being simply an image of 
wood or stone, outward compliance with forms 
and ceremonies was of no moment either way, 
and so to save giving offense they joined in 
many practices which some of the brethren 
thought to be idolatrous. 

Sisidona was telling her sister of this as they 
sat together in the garden the next morning, 
when one of the slaves came to announce that 
his master had returned, for Flavia had given 


Satan 's Scat, 2 1 5 

orders to the porter to send to the garden when 
Escalus came home. 

“ We will talk of this matter further, my 
Sisidona,” she said as she rose from her seat 
and followed the slave to her husband’s room. 

Almost trembling with doubt and fear lest, 
by the arts of divination, Escalus had been in- 
duced to give himself up, body and soul, to this 
Satanic god, Flavia timidly inquired after his 
health, and whether he had slept during the 
night. 

Escalus started at the question and looked 
keenly at his wife. Wert thou at that funeral 
last night ? ” he asked hastily. 

Flavia shook her head, for she in turn was so 
surprised at his question that she could not re- 
ply audibly. 

But thou knowest there was a funeral last 
night,” said Escalus, noticing her confusion. 

“Yes, the wife of the minister of the Church 
here was buried,” answered Flavia. 

“ I knew it was a Christian funeral,” said 
Escalus ; and then he turned to gaze out of the 
little casement near which he was sitting. 

Flavia came to his side and fell upon her 
knees. “ My husband, thou hast not come to 
rouse up the spirit of persecution here,” she 

almost gasped. 

U 


2i6 


Flavia. 


Escalus looked down into her white, terror- 
stricken face. “ I could not persecute these 
people now,” he said in a whisper, and then a 
spasm of mental agony crossed his face, and it 
grew white and rigid in the intensity of his 
emotion. 

His wife was greatly alarmed. ‘‘ Thou art ill, 
my Escalus,” she said ; and she was about to 
summon the slave from the ante-room, but he 
laid his hand upon her shoulder detainingly. 

'' No, no,” he said, I am no worse, and that 
false satyr could do me no good.” 

And thou art greatly disappointed, my Es- 
calus,” said Flavia. 

It is not that alone, but — but I have no 
god now. The hosts of Olympus have failed 
me, for I have at last discovered that their 
power is all a delusion and a lie.” 

Flavia clasped her hands, and could scarcely 
repress an exclamation of joy as she heard this. 
'' My prayers have been answered ! ” she said 
half aloud, but her husband did not notice the 
exclamation. He was gazing out of the win- 
dow, again lost in his own painful thoughts. 

I am the poorest wretch on the face of the 
earth ! ” he exclaimed in a minute or two, ‘‘ for 
I have ho god.” 

“ Nay, nay, my Escalus, but the one true 


Satan s Seat. 


217 


God is about to reveal himself to thee. He 
hath shown thee the vanity of this idol-worship 
that he may win thee to his service,” said Flavia 
quickly. 

‘‘It is too late for that,” answered Escalus. 
“ I have grown to manhood in the service of 
Jupiter and Juno, and I cannot change my re- 
ligion as we change the fashion of our clothes.” 

“ Nay, but when we have seen the folly of our 
ways it behooveth us to learn wherein we have 
been foolish, and set ourselves diligently in the 
path of wisdom,” answered Flavia. 

“But where is the path of wisdom.^” asked 
Escalus ; “ we have no light, no guidance by 
which to find it, even if there be such a path.” 

“ My husband, there is such a light to guide 
the wandering footsteps of man to the fount of 
wisdom, even God himself ; the God of heaven 
and earth, who hath promised his Spirit shall be 
our unerring guide,” said Flavia earnestly. 

“ What is it thou speakest of — what is this 
light thou talkest about.?” asked Escalus. 

“The message of God to man — the Word 
of God contained in the Scriptures,” said 
Flavia. 

“And hast thou this Word of God.?” asked 
her husband with some curiosity. 

“I have the whole record of the life of Jesus 


2I8 


Flavia. 


Christ, the Son of God, who came to make 
known the will of God the Father, and after- 
ward died for the sins and iniquities of the 
world. He is the true satyr, the only Saviour- 
God, and believing in him, we have eternal 
life.” 

'' Go on, and tell me something more con- 
cerning this strange doctrine,” said Escalus as 
Flavia paused. 

She needed no second bidding, both forget- 
ting the lapse of time and that Escalus needed 
food and rest after his protracted vigil, until one 
of the slaves announced that the meal had been 
spread some time, and that Sisidona was await- 
ing them. Then Escalus suddenly became 
aware of a weakness and faintness that was 
almost overpowering, and Flavia noticed that 
her husband looked very ill. 

I have been thoughtless and unwise, my • 
Escalus,” she said as she directed the slave to 
fetch some restoratives, and request Sisidona 
to come to her. 

It was evident that the excitement of the 
last few hours had overtaxed the invalid's 
strength, and a doctor had to be summoned 
almost immediately, for he grew so rapidly 
worse that Flavia was seriously alarmed for his 
recovery. 


Satan ' s Scat. 


219 


The doctor’s first order was that he sliould 
be at once taken to the temple and various 
rites performed there on his behalf. This, 
however, Flavia positively refused - to comply 
with. 

‘‘ My husband hath already spent two nights 
in the temple of Esculapius,” she said with 
emotion, and is worse rather than better.” 

“ And he received no direction as to a 
remedy ? ” asked the doctor in a tone of well- 
feigned surprise. 

Flavia fixed her clear, truthful eyes full 
upon him. “ Thou knowest that this pre- 
tended satyr is a false saviour-god,” she said 
sternly. 

The physician looked abashed. I knew 
not that thou hadst thrown off the trammels of 
a superstition so necessary for science and art 
and all good government,” he said by -way of 
excuse ; and then he proceeded to examine his 
patient more carefully, and make various in- 
quiries necessary to a right understanding of 
his complaint. 

After some little time spent in this way he 
ordered some preparations made from herbs 
growing in the neighborhood, but there was no 
mention of charms, or divinations, or sacrifices 
to be offered to Esculapius, and he assured 


220 


Fla VI A. 


Flavia that what her husband needed more 
than any thing else was rest of body and 
mind. 

He must not return to his duties at Ephe- 
sus for a year at least, and he had better live in 
retirement, avoiding all excitement and over 
exertion,” said the physician as he rose to take 
his departure. 

Flavia thanked him, and promised a ready 
compliance with this part of his advice, for it 
accorded entirely with her own wishes upon the 
subject, and she had not the least doubt but 
that Escalus would concur with it likewise. 
Who can picture the joy she felt as she re- 
called their conversation, and the thought that 
her beloved husband was anxious to know more 
concerning the truth and authority of God’s 
Word lifted her above the present trouble and 
distress entirely. She almost failed to realize 
his present dangerous condition, and felt neither 
weariness, fatigue, nor anxiety while watching 
by his bedside, tenderly ministering to his 
wants, or answering some of his many doubts 
and questionings with a passage of God’s 
Word. 

At length Escalus, like Sisidona, was able 
to grasp the sublime yet simple truth that 
“ God was in Christ, reconciling the world 


Satan 's Seat. 


221 


unto himself, not imputing their trespasses 
unto them. ... for he hath made him to 
be sin, for us who know not sin, that he 
might be made the righteousness of God in 
him." 

Escalus was as decided, too, in his abhor- 
rence of all idol-worship, and before he could 
leave his chamber gave orders that the images 
of his ancestors, the lares and penates so care- 
fully treasured and brought with them from 
Rome, should be removed from their place of 
honor, near the impluvium in the center of the 
atrium, and packed away in the chests in 
which they had been brought. The statues of 
Jupiter and Diana were likewise removed from 
their pedestals and placed out of sight, greatly 
to the horror of some of the slaves, who feared 
that this act of impiety would be fearfully 
avenged by the mighty Thunderer, whose power 
they had been taught to fear. 

But day after day passed, and no calamity 
befell either Escalus or his household. He 
gained strength rapidly, and was soon able to 
take daily exercise in the garden and receive 
the visits of the Church-members, for Flavia 
had informed them of the change in her hus- 
band, and his desire to become a member of 
Christ’s visible Church, so that these vjsits were 


222 


Flavia. 


some of them official as well as friendly, for 
Escalus had been accepted as a catechumen or 
candidate, and his baptism would take place 
as soon as he could go to the Church. 

The Christians of Pergamos thought Escalus 
had been unwise and imprudent in banishing 
all the private and national gods from his house- 
hold, and feared it would draw upon them the 
notice of their neighbors, and might be the 
cause of much trouble. 

Flavia, however, upheld her husband, main- 
taining that honoring an idol was dishonoring 
to the God of heaven, and she afterward read 
to him the warning addressed to this Pergamos 
Church from the roll of parchment she possessed, 
recording the messages to the seven Churches of 
Asia : “ I know thy works, and where thou 
dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is : and thou 
boldest fast my name, and hast not denied my 
faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was 
my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, 
where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things 
against thee, because thou hast there them 
that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught 
Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the 
children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed 
unto idols, and to commit fornication. So 
hast thou also them that hold the doctrine 


Satan's Seat. 


223 


of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Re- 
pent or else I will come unto thee quickly, 
and will fight against thee with the sword of 
my mouth.” 

“ Who are these Nicolaitans ^ ” interrogated 
Escalus. 

“ They are a sect of the Gnostics, or know- 
ers, and they would make the religion of Christ 
accommodate itself either to philosophy or 
idolatry,” answered Flavia. 

And these Gnostics, or knowers, are they 
Christians } ” asked Escalus. “ I never heard 
of them before.” 

“ I know not what to call them but the 
enemies of Christ,” replied Flavia. “ They do 
not believe that the world was made by God, 
the Father of lights, but by an inferior being. 
They do not believe in Christ being the Son of 
God, equal to the Father, or that he really took 
man’s nature upon him, as the Scriptures de- 
clare. They likewise deny that Christ died to 
redeem the world, so that to believe in their 
doctrine we must disbelieve the record of the 
Scriptures entirely.” 

“And these people have crept into the 
Church of Pergamos } ” asked Escalus. 

“They have crept into many Churches, and 
their principles are partly, if not wholly, adopted 


224 


Fla VIA. 


by many more. I greatly fear that here in 
Pergamos they have great power in spite of the 
warning message sent by the Lord himself/' 
added Flavia, with a sigh* 

Then we will not linger here longer then is 
needful/' said Escalus decidedly. “ As soon as 
I am strong enough to travel we will fix our 
abode in some other city until we return to 
Ephesus." 


At Thyatira, 


225 


CHAPTER XVIL 

AT THYATIRA. 

E SC ALUS was for some time undecided 
whether he would return at once to Rome, 
or remove a little further northward to the town 
of Adramyttium ; but a slight circumstance at 
length induced him to remove to Thyatira, 
which was on the road to Ephesus. 

The first view the party had of this old Mace- . 
donian city was by no means prepossessing ; 
for though her people might not disdain art in 
any of its varied forms, they were too busy to 
give much attention to it, for the manufacture 
of many articles of use in daily life occupied all 
their time. 

Potters and tanners, weavers and dyers, sel- 
dom leave much of a name in the world ; but 
the world could get on better without its sculp- 
tors and painters than without these more 
humble workers. And so Asia might be very 
proud of her beautiful Ephesus, with its match- 
less temple of Diana ; but she could not have 
got on without Thyatira, with its dirty, narrow 
streets, its smoke-grimed houses, and noisy din 


226 


Flavia. 


of looms and baking kilns, where cloth was 
woven and pots and pans prepared for use. 

The purple robes of the emperor and his 
senators often came from the looms of Thyatira, 
and it was a trader in these purple robes travel- 
ing in the way of business who first heard Paul 
preach at Philippi and brought the glorious 
news of salvation home to her native city. 
Thyatira had not had the privileges of Ephesus ; 
but whereas the Lord had complained of the 
favored Ephesian Church that she had ‘‘left her 
first love” and her “first works,” Thyatira is 
^ commended for her works, and charity, and pa- 
tience, for the Saviour had declared “ the last 
to be more than the first,” so that her business 
cares were not allowed to choke the seed of 
God’s word first sown by the purple-seller, 
Lydia, but they had learned the blessed secret 
of making the best of both worlds, remember- 
ing the apostle’s exhortation, “ Not slothful in 
business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.” 

But Thyatira was not wholly Christian — far 
from it. There were splendid temples to Jupi- 
ter and Venus, and Agenoria, the goddess of 
industry ; and the Christian citizens were only 
there on sufferance. But still, while doing their 
work in the world they did not forget that they 
were citizens of the New Jerusalem, and so 


At Thyatira, 


227 


proved themselves faithful servants to the charge 
committed to them, that men seeing their good 
works, glorified their Father in heaven by fol- 
lowing in their footsteps, so that the Church 
grew not only in faith and love, but in numbers 
and influence likewise. 

When Escalus and his family reached their 
destination, however, this Church was in some 
consternation, owing to the arrest of several of 
its members. They had lived so many years 
nowin uninterrupted peace that they forgot the 
fact that old laws might at any time be revived 
against them, and so this fresh persecution 
plunged them into the deepest distress. 

The coming of a Roman equity, or lawyer, 
who was himself a Christian, seemed to the 
perplexed Church a direct interposition of God 
in their behalf, for no lawyer in Thyatira would 
undertake to plead for a sect now so unpopular 
as these Christians. 

So almost before the strangers were settled 
in their new abode the bishop came to pay 
them a visit, and to request Escalus to under- 
take the cause of his oppressed flock when the 
prisoners were summoned to appeal* before the 
prefect. Flavia warmly seconded the bishop’s 
request, and was both surprised and disap- 
pointed that her husband hesitated to accede 


228 


Flavia. 

to it at once. He was a ‘Christian, and openly 
avowed it at Pergamos ; was he going to be- 
come timid at the first breath of persecution, 
and deny his profession at Thyatira ? she asked, 
when the bishop left without having obtained 
the favor he came to request. 

Escalus looked hurt for a moment but soon 
recovered himself, and with a smile said, My 
impulsive Flavia, I cannot act hastily in this 
matter. P'or thy sake and our children's I must 
count the cost of such a proceeding as this," he 
added. 

Flavia looked at him in some surprise. Es- 
calus, couldst thou not plead for the Christians 
now as thou formerly pleaded against them?" 
she asked. 

I do so, doubtless ; but, my Flavia, I 
am not, as thou knowest, a wealthy man, and 
sesterces do not fall from the skies," said Es- 
calus. 

Flavia began to comprehend now the difficult 
position in which her husband was placed, but 
she hastened to assure him that if he could 
not return to Ephesus to resume his duties 
there, the “Lord would provide for him else- 
where. 

“ But it is not that alone that troubles me at 
this time," answered Escalas. “As the equity 


At Thyath'a, 


229 


of Marcus Aurelius it was my duty to plead 
against these people, who are accused of dis« 
turbing the peace of the empire ; and for the 
performance of these duties I have already re- 
ceived a considerable sum to enable me to go 
to Pergamos without difficulty. Now what will 
it be if I, a servant of the emperor, assist those 
whom he deems his enemies V' 

O, Escalus, then thou canst not help these 
persecuted Christians?’' inquired Flavia, burst- 
ing into tears. 

“ I know not, I cannot tell ; I must think of 
what can be done,” answered Escalus. Husli, 
my Flavia, we must seek the guidance of God’s 
Spirit in this difficulty ; it may be he will direct 
us by a way we know not — a way by which I 
may serve my brethren in Christ without being 
treacherous toward the emperor.” 

This was the only consolation available in 
the present difficulty ; but Flavia, though she 
neglected not to m.ake it a matter of prayer, had 
very little hope of a favorable solution of the 
difficulty. To her surprise, however, Escalus 
came to her the next morning with a far less 
anxious face than he had worn of late, for in 
spite of his improving health and the happiness 
they now enjoyed in Christian communion with 
each other, a cloud of anxious foreboding had 


230 


Fi.avia. 


again begun to settle down upon Escalus, which 
his wife failed to penetrate. 

Now, however, it seemed to be dispelled for 
the time at least, and Escalus said, I think I 
can see a way out of the difficulty, my Flavia, 
if thou wilt help me.” 

'' I help thee, Escalus ? Is it possible I can 
help thee.^” she said with a joyful smile. 

''Yes, indeed, for without thee I am power- 
less in this strait ; and, my Flavia, if thou hadst 
not already proved thyself a woman more worthy 
than most of our Roman dames I could not ven- 
ture to take this step. My Flavia, thou didst 
prefer to direct the ways of thy household when 
thou becamest a Christian, and doing this, and 
thy having little love of display, hath enabled me 
to lay aside some portion of my income ; and I 
have thought we could live in retirement with a 
small household of slaves, and the sale of the 
rest would enable me to refund all I have re-- 
ceived as equity to the proconsul since the 
calends of May.” 

Flavia clasped her hands in joyful surprise. 

" My Escalus, wilt thou be able to plead for 
our brethren here in Thyatira ? ” she asked. 

" Not only for these, I trust, but for all who 
are desolate and persecuted ; for I have thought 
I might honor my Lord and do some poor 


231 


At TJiyatira, 

service to his saints if I devoted myself to this 
work ; and I thank God and thee, my Flavia, 
that I have the power to do it.” 

But Flavia shook her head. Nay, nay,” she 
said, what share can I have in it ? I am but 
a poor helpless woman.” 

“ And it is by performing womanly duties — 
ruling thine household with diligence and dis- 
cretion — that I can now refund what is needful 
and undertake this work for God, instead of 
continuing in the service of the emperor,” an- 
swered Escalus. 

“ Thou wilt write to the emperor concerning 
this matter.^” asked his wife. 

I have already prepared a letter to send by 
the hand of a trusty messenger to Marcus Au- 
relius, so that I shall feel free to help these 
prisoners at once ; after which I will travel to 
Ephesus and dispose of the slaves there, and 
if the persecution hath ceased we may return 
thither to live ; but it will not be wise for thee 
or Sisidona to go with me until we discover 
whether it be safe ? ” 

The news that the Roman stranger would 
undertake the cause of those who had been 
seized and thrown into prison was eagerly wel- 
comed by the oppressed Church of Thyatira, 

and on the day appointed for their re-appear- 
15 


232 


Flavia. 


ance before the prefect Escalus stood forth as 
their counsel or orator. He was well acquainted 
with the laws of Rome, and knew that those 
referring to the Christians could be twisted to 
mean any thing the prefect chose to infer from 
them ; but he knew, likewise, that this was not 
their original intent ; and so, when he stood up in 
the Forum of Thyatira, he called the attention 
of the prefect and assembled lawyers to the 
celebrated letter of Pliny, proconsul of Bithyn- 
ia, to the Emperor Trajan, some sixty years 
previously, and upon which the law of Trajan 
was founded. This he knew was attacking the 
enemy in their stronghold, for it was under this 
law that they were tried and condemned. 

Noble senators, and ye people of Thyatira, 
this Pliny, who was devoted to the service of 
the gods, and by no means favorable to the 
Christians, caused strict inquiry to be made 
into their manner of life and worship, and de- 
clared to the Emperor Trajan there was noth- 
ing in the principles or conduct of the follow- 
ers of Christ worthy of blame, with the excep- 
tion of their dissent from the public religion. 
That the great Trajan thought this but a slight 
offense is proved by his edict, which forbade 
that the Christians should be officiously sought 
for, and that they should be punished only for 


At Tliyatira. 


233 


refusing to sacrifice to the gods when brought 
before the magistrates in the ordinary way. 
This law was, however, wrested from its purpose 
so often and so flagrantly that another edict was 
issued by the Emperor Hadrian, commanding 
that for the future no Christians should be put 
to death except such as had been legitimately 
accused and convicted of some sort of crime. 
This law was re-enacted by our late emperor, 
Antoninus Pius, and also by our noble Mar- 
cus Aurelius. Wherefore ye see that in search- 
ing for and meddling with these people who are 
honest and of good report, ye yourselves are 
guilty of breaking the laws of Rome ; and ye 
would force these your judges and governors 
into open revolt against the emperor by con- 
demning those whom he hath declared innocent 
of any crime worthy of punishment.” 

It was curious to note the varied effect of 
this address upon the different auditors in the 
Forum. To the law-loving and law-abiding 
Romans the fact of the whole proceeding being 
against the letter and spirit of their edicts, 
and against the direct wish of their emperor, 
who was to them the visible embodiment of law 
and greatly beloved, made it a serious matter, 
and they were in favor of the instant release of 
the prisoners. Not so the multitude. Roman law 


234 


Flavia. 


was to them but the mere machinery by which 
they were governed, and if this could be turned 
aside by clamor and riot they were willing to 
join in either, led as they were by the priests 
of the public worship and the Jews, who so 
deeply hated the Christians. 

The prefect, therefore, had no easy task, for 
whatever might be his private feelings toward 
the prisoners, or his respect for the laws of 
Rome, which he sat there to dispense and eluci- 
date, he dare not altogether disregard the voice 
of the people, and this was most unmistakably 
against the Christians, so that sentence was 
again deferred ; the prefect hoping that the 
popular fury against them would die out shortly, 
when a light sentence would pacify their accus- 
ers, or they could be dismissed entirely. What 
to think of Escalus, and the course he had 
adopted, was an equal puzzle ; and he had no 
means of ascertaining, for Escalus left the Fo- 
rum as soon as he had intimated that he should 
again defer judgment, and he was a stranger to 
every one in Thyatira. 

There was one, however, in that assemblage 
who recognized Escalus ; and shortly after reach- 
ing home his slave came to him with the news 
that a priestess of the Sibyl Sambatha desired 
to speak with him in the vestibule. 


At TJiyatira. 


235 


Flavia turned pale with alarm when she 
heard the message delivered, and Escalus him- 
self wondered what business this messenger 
could have for his private ear? He followed 
the slave, however, and soon stood before the 
closely-enveloped priestess, who, on seeing him, 
moved aside the long robe which covered her 
from head to foot, disclosing the features of his 
wife’s former slave, Nerissa. 

Escalus started as he recognized her. Ne- 
rissa, is it indeed thyself? ” he exclaimed. 

Her head drooped lower under Escalus’ ear- 
nest gaze. I am what thou seest me,” she said 
evasively ; but, my noble master, I came not to 
speak of myself, but for my brother, who now 
lies in the prison of Smyrna, charged with being 
a Christian. This is his only crime, and thou, 
who didst plead to-day in the Forum for those 
charged with the same fault, wilt thou not plead 
for him when he shall dgain be brought before 
the prefect ? ” 

“ But I do not understand. Is it Plautius, 
the vine-dresser, of whom thou speakest ; he is 
in Rome, is he not ? ” asked Escalus. 

“ Nay, but he followed me to Smyrna, as I 
greatly fear too late to prevent my — my — ” and 
Nerissa stopped and burst into tears. 

But, Nerissa, surely thou, who hast tasted 


236 


Flavia. 


of the love of Christ, cannot be the servant of 
an idol ? ” said Escalus. 

Nay, but Sambatha is not an idol, but a 
sibyl, who practices magic in a temple outside 
the walls of the city,” answered Nerissa, with 
still drooping head. 

‘‘And thou hast been sold a slave to this 
temple service } ” asked Escalus, with a touch 
of self-reproach, as he reflected how hastily and 
inconsiderately he had called in the Thessalian 
slave-dealer and sold her. 

But Nerissa shook her head. “ Nay, but I 
escaped from my master at Smyrna and went 
thither of my own free will,” she said. 

“ Of thine own choice ? ” inquired Escalus 
in surprise. 

“Yes; I heard of the wonderful miracles 
wrought in this temple by some fellow-slaves 
from Thessaly who were going thither, and I 
thought this must surely be where the Lord 
worked in greatest power, and where his glory 
would begin to manifest itself, and so I has- 
tened thither.” 

“And thou hast found out thy mistake.^” 
asked Escalus. 

“ O, would that I had been less impatient for 
the Lord’s appearing!” said Nerissa; “I might 
then be able to meet him with joy, but now I 


At Thyatira. 


237 


must hear the dread sentence, ^ Depart from 
me, ye cursed;’” and, overcome with the bit- 
terness of her feelings, she hastily wrapped 
the .mantle about her head and left the house 
without speaking another word. 

Later in the day Escalus made fuller inquiry 
about this temple of magic, and found that Ne- 
rissa’s account of it was correct, only that the 
true Sambatha had been dead long since ; but 
those interested in the deceptions she practiced 
pretended that her spirit had descended upon 
one of her followers, who was a woman of 
Thessaly, while the true Sambatha was a Jew- 
ess or Chaldean by birth, who had once been a 
Christian, and who, even after her assumption 
of magical powers, had such influence over many 
in the Church of Thyatira that even the angel 
or bishop tolerated her, and was rebuked by 
the Lord in this message : I have a few things 
against thee, because thou sufferest that woman 
Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to 
teach and to seduce my servants to commit for^ 
nication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 
And I gave her space to repent of her fornica- 
tion ; and she repented not.” 


238 


Fla VIA. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

SARDIS. 

HE state of public feeling in Thyatira was 



at this time so strongly against the Chris- 
tians, that Escalus soon decided to remove his 
family to the neighboring city of Sardis. This, 
like Thyatira, was the center of manufacturing 
interests, but the specialty for which it had at- 
tained its world-wide fame was the rich».purple 
and crimson dye, which was extracted from the 
glands of a small shell-fish abundant in the 
river Pactolus, near which the city stood. 

The fabulously rich king of Lydia, Croesus, 
once lived here, and he might with reason boast 
of his riches when gold dust was to be found 
in the river sand close by ; but even this did not 
bring the wealth to Sardis that the shell-fish 
did, with its crimson glands. Sardian carpets 
were likewise of world-wide fame, and eagerly 
sought by merchants in rich and costly stuffs, 
finding a ready sale in the markets of Rome, 
Carthage, and Alexandria. All these sources of 
wealth had contributed to the greatness of the 
city ; but the Christian Church, unlike her sister 


Sardis. 


239 


of Thyatira, was not correspondingly rich in 
patience and good works. She had a name 
to live, but was dead. The wealth, and lux- 
ury, and ease, by which the Church was sur- 
I'ounded, had betrayed these Christians into 
a softness and effeminacy not at all consonant 
with the character of those professing to be 
soldiers of the cross. The love and care of 
these riches in which they abounded choked 
the word of God, so that the message, “ Be 
watchful, and strengthen the things which re- 
main, that are ready to die,” was very needful. 
Some had heeded this message, for the Lord 
himself had declared, Thou hast a few names 
even in Sardis which have not defiled their gar- 
ments ; and they shall walk with me in white, 
for they are worthy.” The Church now was in 
a much more flourishing condition than it had 
been while John was in Patmos ; and so long as 
it was presided over by its bishop, Melito, it was 
not likely to sink into such deadness again. 

The news that an advocate had been found 
for their persecuted brethren of Thyatira soon 
reached Sardis, and when it was known that 
he purposed removing to the latter, a warm 
welcome was tendered to him both by Melito 
and his flock. 

Escalus fully appreciated the kindness thus 


240 Flavia. 

shown him, and an intimate friendship soon 
sprung up between him and the bishop, whom 
he consulted soon after his arrival upon the 
best means to be adopted for rescuing Nerissa 
from her present mode of life, and also for as- 
sisting Plautius to regain his liberty. 

Flavia had seen Nerissa, and the sight of her 
beloved mistress had so overcome her that, if 
she could only be taken from the temple serv- 
ice, she professed herself willing to do or suffer 
any thing. Flavia would gladly have received 
her again and reinstated her as her personal 
attendant ; but Escalus had advised caution, and 
his wife knew and trusted him so fully now 
that she could not only wait herself, but advise 
Nerissa to be patient, and wait for her deliver- 
ance, until a fitting time should come. 

It was hard, perhaps, for her to wait now, 
but she had brought so much misery upon her- 
self by her former impatience that she readily 
agreed to this, the more so that Escalus had 
promised to write to the prefect of Smyrna con- 
cerning Plautius, and also to befriend Irene, 
who with her child was now living at Sardis. 
How Nerissa had discovered her sister she did 
not say ; but it was clear Irene knew nothing 
of her, for when Flavia went to see her she burst 
into tears, saying she feared Nerissa was dead. 


Sardis. 


241 


Nay, nay, she is not dead ; but she cannot 
come to thee yet,” said Flavia soothingly. 
‘i-She bade me come and tell thee she was 
well, and that she had not forgotten Irene, 
or the happy hours spent in the cottage in 
Aricia.” 

The mention of these happy bygone days 
brought the tears again to Irene’s eyes ; but 
she choked them back and asked eagerly, 
‘'Where is Nerissa, then ? Does she know I 
am in Sardis ? ” 

“Yes, she came to my Escalus to beg that 
he would plead with the prefect of Smyrna on 
my husband’s behalf, and she told me where I 
should find thee.” 

But Irene had not heard the latter part of the 
sentence : at the mention of her husband she 
was quite overcome, and for a few minutes 
Flavia could only shed tears of sympathy for her 
great sorrow. Anxious, however, to arouse her 
from this, she spoke of the efforts Escalus was 
now making to secure his release ; but for some 
minutes she could only rock herself backward 
and forward, murmuring through her sobs, “ I 
shall never see my Plautius again ; he hath 
been in prison more than a year, and will not 
live, even if he is rescued now.” 

“Nay, nay; the Lord, who hath helped and 


242 


Flavia. 


sustained thee, will help him,” said the lady in 
a cheerful tone. 

But poor Irene only shook her head. I 
have not been shut up in a noisome dungeon,” 
she said. “ I have had to work hard, it is true, 
but I have breathed the fresh, pure air, and my 
little one hath been with me ; but Plautius — ” 
and again came a burst of sobs. 

“ What made thee leave Smyrna and come to 
Sardis ? ” asked Flavia, anxious to turn the 
conversation. 

I liked not to be chargeable to the Church 
longer than was necessary; and hearing that 
two other women, who e friends had been im- 
prisoned, were coming to work at the looms of 
Sardis, I came with them, for I had learned 
the art of weaving in Rome,” replied Irene. 

‘‘ And thou canst gain enough by thy labor 
to keep thyself and thy child } ” asked Flavia. 

Not quite. The Church still assists me 
somewhat, but I am thankful that I am not 
wholly chargeable now that so many are in 
need.” And Irene turned to fetch her boy, who 
had grown to be a stout, rosy little fellow, the 
picture of health and happiness, in spite of the 
sorrow by which he had been surrounded all 
his life. 

Flavia made some inquiries about him, and 


Sardis. 


243 


after placing something in his hand, which 
she thought might be helpful to his mother, 
she took her departure, promising to see her 
again as soon as any news could be obtained 
concerning her husband. 

Escalus fulfilled his promise of applying to 
the prefect of Smyrna for his release, but it was 
some time before he could get a hearing for his 
cause. In the mean time, however, he succeeded 
in rescuing Nerissa from her equivocal position, 
and after a time she was allowed to return as 
Flavia’s personal attendant. He likewise took 
his projected journey to Ephesus, and sold off 
his slaves, leaving his household at Sardis. 

The application of Escalus for the vine- 
dresser’s release was acceded to at last ; but 
when Plautius came out of prison it was all 
too evident that his days on ' earth were 
numbered. The sufferings and deprivations he 
had endured had left their impress in his pale, 
emaciated face, and bowed, shrunken form. 
Even his affectionate wife scarcely recognized 
him, and some friends almost doubted his 
identity. Work, except of the lightest kind, he 
could never do again, for the strength of his 
manhood had been worn out of him in prison ; 
and it seemed doubtful whether he would 
survive many weeks. All that friendly care 


244 


Flavia. 


and wifely solicitude could do was done for 
him, and it seemed after a time that he was 
better. 

Escalus was anxious to do something for 
Plautius that should be of permanent service 
to him ; and, as he seemed to crave for some 
occupation, he at length decided to take a small 
villa on the outskirts of the village, midway 
between Sardis and Smyrna, and in the cul- 
tivation of the garden attached to this, his 
countryman might find health, occupation, and 
profit combined ; considerations that induced 
both Flavia and Sisidona to enter warmly into 
the plan, so that the early spring witnessed 
their removal from Sardis to this rural home, 
and Plautius and his wife with them. 

Escalus had been too long engaged in an 
active life to resign himself entirely to the quiet 
retirement in which he now lived, and he was 
making active exertions for the benefit of his 
fellow-Christians in the neighborhood. By his 
advice, Melito, the bishop of Sardis, was now 
preparing an ‘"Apology” for the Christians of 
Asia, to be presented to Marcus Aurelius him- 
self, as Justin Martyr had done twenty years 
before, when Antoninus Pius wore the purple. 
This famous “Apology” of the learned Chris- 
tian philosopher had been the means of staying 


Sardis. 


245 


a threatened persecution against the Christians, 
and Escalus hoped that another plea, of a simi- 
lar character, from this Christian bishop, might 
put a stop to that now so actively spreading 
from city to city and province to province. 

Escalus knew, however, that the times in 
which they- were now living differed greatly from 
the peaceful, prosperous years that marked the 
reign of the late emperor. For, under Marcus 
Aurelius, one disaster followed so quickly upon 
the heels of another, that the sagacity of the 
emperor and his ablest advisers was taxed to 
the utmost to devise means to meet all these 
complicated disasters, each of which in turn 
was charged to the agency of the Christians by 
their enraged fellow-citizens ; so that it was no 
easy matter to preserve order among the un- 
reasoning multitude, and protect from all harm 
the objects of their hatred, when fire and sword, 
earthquakes and inundations, pestilence and 
famine, marched through the empire in grim 
procession. This had been the history of the 
whole six years of the emperor’s reign, and 
these disasters had not come to an end yet, so 
that Escalus might well hold but a trembling 
hope for the success of Melito’s Apology.” 

When this document was prepared, the ques- 
tion of a suitable messenger had to be discussed. 


246 


Flavia. 


If Melito was to go in person and lay his plea 
at the emperor’s feet, he could not go alone ; 
and few of his flock had either the time or 
means at their disposal to accompany him, and, 
at length, he begged Escalus to take this post 
of escort. 

The calends of May were again approaching, 
and Escalus had begun to grow anxious about 
his letter, sent to the emperor some time before, 
begging to be released from his duties at Eph- 
esus. There had been ample time for a reply 
to be sent ere this, but no reply had come ; 
and Escalus’s time to return to the proconsul- 
ate, so long postponed, was fast approaching. 
To go back, however, after the step he had 
taken at Thyatira, as the advocate of the Chris- 
tians, was impossible, and, therefore, he was not 
unwilling to go to Rome on his own account, 
as well as to accompany Melito. 

To take the whole of his family with him, how- 
ever, would not be advisable, and so he decided 
to leave the children under the care of Sisidona 
and Nerissa, with the few trusty slaves that now 
formed their household, while Flavia went with 
him to Rome. He was the more anxious to 
depart and to travel with all speed when the 
news came that the proconsul under whom he 
had served had died rather suddenly, for he 


Sardis, 


247 


knew not what construction might be put upon 
his absence from duty at such a time, if his let- 
ter had failed to reach the emperor s hand. So 
Flavia was urged to make her preparations for 
the voyage with all speed, that they might be 
in time for the next vessel leaving the port of 
Smyrna. 

There was a pleasant farewell meeting at the 
house of Polycarp before the travelers took 
their departure, the aged bishop being anx- 
ious to send some message of remembrance to 
his friends in Rome by Melito ; and so the 
whole family of Escalus, with Plautius and his 
wife, and Nerissa and Melito, with the deacons 
and presbyters of the Sardian Church, were 
gathered around the hoary-headed saint to hear 
his voice once more — some of them for the last 
time. Together Melito and Polycarp had sat 
at the feet of the “disciple whom Jesus loved,” 
and each had imbibed the spirit of his Master 
and theirs ; and now they were sitting together 
for the last time on earth, holding sweet con- 
verse for the benefit of Christ’s suffering Church 
in Asia. 

“ Dearly beloved, who are about to encounter 
the perils of the great deep, gird up the loins 
of your minds, be patient, be joyful in God. To 
him all things in heaven and on earth are sub- 
16 


248 


Fla VI A. 


ject. Him every spirit serves. And may the 
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and 
Jesus Christ himself, who is the Son of God 
and our everlasting High-Priest, build ye up in 
faith and truth, and in all meekness, patience, 
gentleness, long-suffering, and purity; and may 
he bestow on ye a lot and portion among his 
saints, and on us with ye.” 

This was the apostolic blessing bestowed 
upon the travelers and their friends by the aged 
Bishop of Smyrna. He then tenderly embraced 
his companion and friend, Melito, and promising 
Escalus not to forget his household during his 
absence, Polycarp bade them each farewell, 
noticing especially the little Cassius, who had 
come with Sisidona to see his mother and father 
embark. 

Flavia could hardly tear herself from the'em- 
braces of her children when the moment for 
parting came, and she took Cassius to her arms 
again and again, almost regretting now that she 
had consented to leave her treasures behind. 
Bitterly as she felt this parting, its agony would 
have been increased tenfold if she could have 
known what would befall her darling in a few 
short weeks. But the future is mercifully hid- 
den from our view, and so Flavia turned from 
her boy and joined her husband, who was al- 


Sardis, 


249 


ready on his way to the little vessel. Cassius 
bravely dashed the tears from his eyes, and, 
young as he was, turned to say a word of com- 
fort to his little sister. 

‘‘ Do not cry, Felicita, it makes our mother 
cry,” he said ; “ and every body seems to forget 
that God will stay at home with us and go with 
the ship too. I should like to do that, thou 
knowest, but we can’t, and so we ought to be 
glad, that being God’s will.” 

Felicita tried to stop her tears, for they al- 
most prevented her recognizing the figures of 
her mother and father as they stood on the 
deck of the vessel waving their farewells to the 
little group of friends on the shore. For nearly 
an hour they stood watching the vessel as she 
passed along toward the open sea, Cassius 
waving his hand as long as any one on the deck 
could be seen ; and then, at Sisidona’s bidding, 
he turned to go home once more. He had 
looked his last on the noble faces of both mother 
and father, until they met before the throne of 
God. 

On their way home they overtook the aged 
Bishop Polycarp ; and Cassius, leaving the rest, 
went to walk beside him, slipping his hand into 
that of the bishop, and looking up inquiringly 
into his face. 


250 


Flavia. 


‘'What wouldst thou ask me, my child 
said the bishop, noticing his looks at length. 

“ Mother hath gone away in a shijj,” he said ; 
“ who will tell me about ‘ God is love' now.” 

Polycarp looked down into the earnest up- 
turned face. Thou knowest God is love, dear 
child ! Then thou canst ask him to teach thee 
more of it himself,” he said. 

“ But wilt not thou help Sisidona to teach 
me, while mother is away ? ” asked the child. 

“ But Sisidona may not need my help,” said 
the bishop with a smile. 

“ Nay, but she will,” said Cassius ; “ she is not 
so good as my mother — nobody in the world is 
so good as my mother ; but, perhaps, if thou 
helped Sisidona, it might be nearly as nice as 
what my mother says.” 

“ Well, dear child, I will try to teach thee as 
thy mother does,” said the bishop, again smiling 
at the little fellow’s earnestness ; and on bid- 
ding them farewell, he told Sisidona he should 
visit them shortly. 


Seekmg but not Finding. 251 


CHAPTER XIX. 


SEEKING BUT NOT FINDING. 

NCE more we must ask our readers to 



accompany us to the palace of Marcus 
Aurelius. He is sitting in his private room, 
the '‘Apology*’ of Melito is lying before him, 
and that of Justin Martyr, pleading on behalf 
of the same people, is beside it. He has 
been considering the claims advanced by these 
Christians, and comparing them with the phi- 
losophy which he has studied and practiced all 
his life. More sad and sorrowful than ever is 
the grand, noble face ; for, struggle and strive as 
he will, Marcus Aurelius feels that he is still far 
from perfection, that he is powerless to subdue 
sin in himself. Perhaps, if he could have ex- 
amined and compared these " Apologies ” more 
carefully with the works of his favorite authors, 
he would have been led by the Spirit of God to 
see that these despised people had found what 
he and they were dimly groping after — a light to 
shine upon their minds and dispel the mists of 
philosophy and the darkness of superstition. But 
the philosophers, by whom he was constantly 


252 


Flavia. 


surrounded, represented to him that the wor- 
shipers of Christ were an irrational, turbulent, 
and pernicious sect, who ought to be put down. 
They would have kept this “ Apology ” of Me- 
lito’s out of his hands if they could, and, failing 
to do this, they took care to whisper hints and 
innuendoes of shameless orgies which the Chris- 
tians dignified by the name of religious worship. 

Their pretended bravery in the face of death 
is mere hardihood and stupid obstinacy, with- 
out reason or common sense,” whispered these 
philosophers. 

The emperor sighed. “ I would to the gods 
it were otherwise ! ” he said. ‘'To what an ad- 
mirable state must that soul have arrived whicli 
is prepared for whatever may await her — to 
quit her earthly abode, to be extinguished, to be 
dispersed, or to remain. By prepared, I mean 
that her readiness should be exercised by a 
calm, deliberate judgment, and not by the result 
of mere obstinacy, like that of these Christians.” 

And this was all moral philosophy could give 
to one of her most earnest and devoted disciples 
— one whose whole life was a struggle after a 
nobler, purer state than this world could afibrd — 
“ the soul to be extinguished, to be dispersed.” 
Was it wonderful that he looked sad when, feel- 
ing bitter dissatisfaction with this life and all it 


253 


Seeking but not Finding. 

could afford, there was no hope for eternity, no 
looking forward to a heaven beyond the grave. 

No ; Marcus Aurelius, the greatest and no- 
blest of the Roman emperors, was poorer than 
the youngest child in our Sunday-school, for he 
knew nothing of Christ, the hope of the world. 
His philosophy could give him no help here in 
subduing sin or bearing sorrow, and no hope 
that beyond this life there is another which has 
been wholly redeemed by the blood of Christ 
from all sin, temptation, and sorrow. 

Melito’s Apology”was not laid aside and for- 
gotten altogether, as the philosophers hoped it 
might be. These Christians were his subjects, 
reasoned the emperor, however obstinate they, 
might be ; and Melito had pleaded wisely that 
each of his predecessors, most beloved and hon- 
ored, had protected the Christians from the 
rabble mobs who clamored for their destruc- 
tion ; and that only Nero and Domitian, whose 
memories were detested, ever isjsued edicts 
against them. 

These arguments had more weight with him, 
perhaps, than any thing else, for he was at a 
loss to know which to believe, the philosophers, 
who affirmed that the whole of Christianity 
was framed on a lie, or the Christians, who 
declared they only held the truth. This, however, 


254 


Flavia. 


would cut the Gordian knot. His predecessors 
had protected these people, and yet held fast 
to the public worship and the study of philoso- 
phy, and he would do the same. 

So Marcus Aurelius turned from -the further 
study of the Christian letters, or ‘‘ Apologies,’' 
deciding that an edict should be sent to Asia, 
with as little delay as possible, to stop the per- 
secution against these oppressed people. The 
heart of Melito was rejoiced almost beyond ex- 
pression, except in praises and thanksgiving to 
God for this great mercy. The hearts of the 
Christians of Rome, too, were made glad ; and 
a special meeting for prayer and praise was 
held in the cavern church of the Catacombs. 

Flavia, the last time she wended her way 
through the gloomy torch-lighted passages to 
the church, had scarcely dared to hope that 
her husband would ever accompany her, and 
yet he had most eagerly welcomed the invitation 
to meet with the brethren to thank God for 
turning the heart of the emperor mercifully to- 
ward them. Perhaps he felt that he needed the 
interposition of God in his own behalf now, for 
in spite of frequent applications, he had not 
been able to obtain an audience with the 
emperor yet. 

The Church of Rome had increased in num- 


Seeking but not Finding. 255 

bers during the time Flavia had been away ; 
but Anicetus had not forgotten the brave yet 
quiet patrician lady who came so seldom to join 
with them in the outward form of worship, and 
yet was so brave and true in her allegiance to 
God that no opposition could daunt her, and 
no persuasions tempt her to deny her Lord and 
Saviour. 

Escalus had often wondered whether the 
emperor had received the letter sent from Thy- 
atira, or whether he had heard of his forsaking 
the public worship in some indirect way. This 
was the sole reason Escalus could think of to 
account for Marcus Aurelius treating him in 
the way he did, and he knew not what to do 
sometimes, for he was growing anxious to return 
to Sardis now, not only to avoid his former 
friends and companions, who treated him as 
one out of favor, and, therefore, to be neglected 
or scorned, as the case might be ; but he was 
anxious to take Flavia back, for she had grown 
unreasonably anxious about the children, he 
thought. How to resist her appeals he did not 
know, and yet to leave Rome without seeing 
the emperor might be the cause of much mis- 
construction and after inconvenience, if not of 
positive trouble. 

Escalus was thinking of this as he silently 


2S6 


Flavia. 


followed his guide through the galleries of tufa 
leading to the church, and inwardly praying 
that the Divine Spirit would teach him what to 
do — what step to take next — in this difficult, 
dangerous business ; for, if the emperor had 
been mortally offended at his joining the Chris- 
tians and retiring from his post, it might be 
dangerous not only for him, but for them like- 
wise. 

The latter fear, however, was removed when 
he recollected the purpose for which they were 
meeting together, and it encouraged him to 
hope that his own case might not be so desper- 
ate after all ; and even as he thought this, there 
suddenly came to his mind the idea, that he 
might place himself in the way of the emperor 
as he went to the Forum, and he at once de- 
cided to act upon this suggestion. 

Without informing Flavia of his intention, he 
went out early the next morning and took his 
way toward the great golden mile-stone, near 
which Marcus Aurelius would alight from his 
chariot to enter the Forum. There was always 
a crowd of clients waiting here, and it must 
have touched the patrician pride of Escalus 
very keenly to be seen waiting near this 
throng. But the Christian triumphed over the 
patrician, and, to his great joy, Marcus Aurelius 


257 


Seekuig blit not Finding, 

relieved him from his unpleasant position the 
moment he saw him. For the emperor had 
hardly entered the Forum when one of the 
imperial lictors came up, saying the emperor 
commanded his attendance upon him immedi- 
ately. With a silent thanksgiving to God, Es- 
calus ascended the steps and entered the vast 
hall, where, in one of the basilicas, the emperor 
held his cou t of justice. But Marcus Aurelius 
had not yet ascended the tribune, but stood 
near one of the columns waiting for Escalus. 

He did not look pleased or vexed, but only 
intensely astonished, as his late secretary came 
before him. 

I knew not that thou wert in Rome, Esca- 
lus,” said the emperor sternly, without a word 
of greeting to his former favorite. 

For a minute Escalus could only look into 
that noble face, with its searching glance, in 
blank amazement. 

I have been in Rome some weeks, and 
presented several petitions, praying the noble 
Marcus to grant me an audience,” said 
Escalus. 

“ I have not seen one,” replied the emperor. 

“ I likewise sent a letter by the hand of one 
whom I deemed a trusty messenger, many 
months since,” said Escalus quickly. 


258 


Flavia. 


The emperor slowly shook his head. Thou 
must be mistaken in all this, or thy messengers 
must have failed thee, for I have seen naught 
of thy missives. I heard that thou hadst left 
Ephesus, and forsaken the gods of Rome, be- 
fore the death of the proconsul, or just at that 
time.’' 

Escalus feared he had been thus misrepre- 
sented to the emperor, and immediately drew 
from his girdle the letters patent of the pro- 
consul, not merely granting leave of absence, 
but commanding him to go to Pergamos for his 
health’s sake. 

Marcus Aurelius took the letter, but did not 
read it. 

Attend me later in my private chamber of 
the palace,” he said, and the courtier-philoso- 
phers in attendance upon him bit their lips in 
silent vexation, that all their efforts to keep 
Escalus out of the way had so signally 
failed. 

Perhaps these men felt that if their gentle, 
earnest-hearted emperor once came to hear all 
the truth about the doctrine of Christ their 
philosophy would be forsaken, and men like 
Justin Martyr and Melito would succeed them 
in the imperial favor. For the gods of Rome 
they cared nothing, but they loved the riches, 


Seeking but not Finding. 259 

and honor, and glory of living in a palace, how- 
ever much their master might despise these 
things. 

Marcus Aurelius never suspected these men 
of thus trying to ruin Escalus. They were 
philosophers, and philosophy would teach them, 
as it had taught him, to hate and abhor every 
false way. This was how the emperor reasoned 
and believed ; for he thought it was the study 
of philosophy that had given him the desire 
after holiness and purity, and the hatred of 
every thing false and cruel. He knew not that 
every good desire of the heart — every earnest 
effort he was enabled to make toward the con- 
quest of evil in himself — was through the 
guidance and help of God’s Holy Spirit : that 
God after whom he was feeling if haply he might 
find him, and yet from whom he was at the 
same time turning his eyes, when he refused to 
listen to or study the truth • of this Christianity 
which was causing him so much trouble just 
now. 

Escalus, who had tried philosophy and knew 
what it was worth, had been thinking thus as 
he walked homeward, and wondered whether he 
should be allowed to speak plainly to the em- 
peror of the glorious truths he had himself 
learned. For his own encouragement, and for 


26o 


Flavia. 


use in argument if he should need it, he took 
out the parchment roll containing the address 
of the Apostle Paul before the Court of Areop- 
agus, at Athens, as recorded by the physician 
disciple Luke in his account of the Acts of the 
Apostles, and read these words : God that 
made the world and all things therein . . . 
and hath made of one blood all nations of men 
for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath 
determined the times before appointed and the 
bounds of their habitation ; that they should 
seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after 
him and find him, though he be not far from 
every one of us.” 

“ Surely Marcus Aurelius is one of the truest 
and most earnest of these seekers after God,” 
said Escalus softly to himself ; “ but will he 
recognize that what he is in search of hath been 
revealed in Christ Jesus ? If he will not sub- 
mit his human philosophy to the claims of 
Christ, he may go on seeking ; but he will go 
to the tomb without finding any other revela- 
tion, any other way, by which he can be saved 
from the evil of this world, and the darkness 
that hangs over the future. I will try to speak 
to him of this to-day ; but will he listen ? will 
he even hear my words ? ” 

Escalus might well sigh as he asked himself 


Seeking but not Finding, 261 

this question, remembering his own obstinacy on 
this very matter ; and he could only pray that 
his imperial master might be more open to con- 
viction than he was. He took care to put his 
precious roll in his girdle before starting for the 
palace, and also to be there in good time to keep 
the appointment with the emperor. He was kept 
waiting long in the anteroom after his name had 
been announced, and he was glad to see when 
he entered that the emperor was alone. 

Now, Escalus, state thy reason for leaving 
Ephesus for so long a season,” said the emperor 
quickly as soon as the ceremony of entrance 
was over. 

There were two reasons, most noble Mar- 
cus,” answered Escalus ; “ my failing health, 
and my wife’s adherence to the Christian 
faith.” 

''And what about thine own V demanded the 
emperor. 

" When I left Ephesus I believed as fully in 
the public gods as when I dwelt here at Rome. 
It was in Pergamos, in the very temple of Es- 
culapius, that my faith in these as divinities 
was shattered ; ” and he went on to describe the 
two nights spent in the sacred temple of heal- 
ing, and the advice given to him by the flamen 
physicians. 


262 


Flavia. 


The emperor looked puzzled : Thou hast 
been over hasty, Escalus, in adopting thy wife’s 
detestable creed ; thou shouldst have had more 
wisdom than to listen to her specious argu- 
ments, for women are ever foolish in these 
matters.” 

“ Many are, doubtless, most noble Marcus, 
but not my Flavia ; she — ” 

Nay, nay, prate not to me of thy wife,” said 
the emperor testily ; “ but tell me, as though 
thou wert still my private secretary, is this sect 
well-nigh crushed out of Asia ? ” 

''Nay, it will never be crushed out any where,” 
answered Escalus ; "and persecution doth but 
strengthen its growth.” 

"Art thou speaking now as Escalus, the 
Christian, or as Escalus, the equity ? ” asked 
Marcus Aurelius. 

" As both,” answered Escalus. " I have seen 
the effect of fines, stripes, imprisonment, and 
death upon these people, as their persecutor ; 
and I have learned the secret of their endur- 
ance, hope, and joy, since in their Scriptures — ” 
and as he spoke Escalus drew from his girdle 
the roll of parchment, and would have presented 
it to the emperor. 

But Marcus Aurelius turned aside his head. 

" Of a weak and womanish character must 


263 


Seeking but not Findinj. 

thou be, Escalus, to be thus easily turned aside 
from the study of philosophy,” be said half 
angrily, half scornfully. 

The crimson color rushed to the bronzed 
cheek of the proud patrician. ‘‘ Nay, but I 
hold it as brave and honorable, instead of 
weak and womanish, to embrace this perse- 
cuted cause.” 

‘‘ Because it is persecuted } Then thou gloriest 
in casting thy lot among these people. Thy 
glorying shall soon be at an end. Statius 
Quadratus is the new proconsul, and he will 
receive my edict shortly to stop all proceedings 
against these people, and let them sink to their 
original nothingness.” 

“ Most noble Marcus, the Christians will 
every-where render thanksgivings to God, min- 
gled with prayers on thy behalf, for this great 
mercy.” 

I want not their prayers ; I know not their 
God or thine. As a Christian, thou knowest 
thou canst hold no office under the State, 
Escalus,” added the emperor, thinking this 
might move him. Escalus bowed his head in 
acquiescence. 

“ I would ask a favor, but not for myself,” he 
ventured to say, after a pause. 

'' Prefer thy request,” said the emperor 


264 


Flavia. 


shortly. Again Escalus held forth the precious 
roll. 

'' If thou wouldst study this book, thou 
wouldst find what thou hast so long been seek- 
ing, what no other can reveal,” he said gently. 

But Marcus Aurelius turned away. I 
know not thy God,” he said ; I shall hold my 
belief in philosophy and the gods of Rome 
until I die.” 

And he did. Truly these things are hid 
from the wise and prudent ; ” but God has 
‘‘ revealed them unto babes.” 


The Bursting of the Storm, 


265 


CHAPTER XX. 

THE BURSTING OF THE STORM. 

T he aged Bishop of Smyrna kept his prom- 
ise to Sisidona and the little Cassius, and 
more than one visit was paid to the household, 
when not only Cassius, ■ but the slaves, and 
Plautius and his wife, came to hear the words 
of wisdom and instruction that fell from the old 
man’s lips. 

The temporary improvement in Plautius was 
passing away, and it was easy to see he would 
not be with them long ; but he moved about as 
actively as he could among the vines and orange 
trees, for he was anxious that the garden should 
look its best when Escalus returned, which 
would be early in the summer, or rather, just 
after the first vintage had been gathered. 

Every body in Smyrna was making active 
preparation this year for a splendid celebration 
of their vine-god’s festival, for the new procon- 
sul, who usually resided at Ephesus, had prom- 
ised to be present at some of the games ; and 
the Jews and the priests of Dionysus had each 
determined to ask for more energetic steps to 


266 


Fla VI A. 


be taken against the Christians. Germanicus 
was still in prison, and they decided to ask, or 
rather demand, that he should be given to the 
beasts in the arena. 

The Church, hearing of this active enmity, 
once more grew alarmed for their aged bishop, 
and they besought him to retire from the city 
until after the storm had passed. But the great 
feast of Easter was near, and the old man was 
especially unwilling to be absent from his flock 
at that time. ‘‘And could ye rob me of my 
promised crown ? ” he added. 

“ Nay, but the Church needs thee still, my 
father,” said one. 

“ Then, if it is so, the Lord will be a wall of 
fire about me, to defend me from the enemy,” 
said Polycarp firmly. 

But some of them had received a hint that, 
if they wished to keep their aged bishop, he 
should be taken to a place of safety for a time ; 
and they were determined he should go. “ The 
Lord bade his disciples, when they were perse- 
cuted in one city to flee to another ; and we 
now come with this command from the Church, 
and bid you hasten to prepare for this removal.” 

“ But whither shall I go ? ” asked Polycarp, 

“To Sardis. Some of the friends of Melito 
will be sure to hide thee there.” 


The Bursting of the Storm. 267 

But the bishop shook his head. “ That will 
be the first place where they will seek for me, 
and I shall bring trouble upon those I would fain 
defend from trouble. Nay, if I must go, I will 
leave Smyrna quietly, and take refuge in the 
house of friends who are almost unknown to 
our city, with whom I may, peradventure, abide 
in safety.’' 

Sisidona was soon communicated with upon 
the subject, and gladly welcomed the hoary- 
headed saint to their little household ; while 
Cassius was delighted at the change, having 
little idea why it was necessary, for Sisidona 
did not like to cloud the brightness of his young 
days by telling him that the religion they pro- 
fessed might, at any time, bring them into 
trouble. 

Meanwhile events were slowly tending toward 
the destruction of the whole Christian Church 
of Smyrna. At least that was what the priests 
of the temples and the Jews intended, and their 
first victim was Plautius’s friend, Germanicus. 
All the fashionable world of Smyrna had assem- 
bled in the arena to witness the games and do 
honor to this visit of the proconsul, who had 
ordered that Germanicus should be brought 
forward and sacrifice to the gods, or be cast to 
the beasts. 


268 


Flavia. 


When Statius Qiiadratus saw the young man 
steadily refuse to do honor to Rhea or any of 
the idols, he begged him to have pity on his 
youth, and yield to this slight demand ; but 
Germanicus made no answer, and the beasts 
were loosed upon him almost immediately. 

The sight of this one victim, so bravely en- 
during the agonies of death, did but increase 
the popular fury, however ; and the mangled 
remains of Germanicus were still being growled 
over by the hungry beasts, when a cry was 
raised: “Away with all these atheists. Seek 
for Polycarp.” And the proconsul, who had 
never heard the bishop’s name before, ordered 
him to be brought before his tribunal the next 
day. But Polycarp’s house was deserted, and 
many of those known to be Christians had left 
the city ; and it w,as not until after a long search 
and many fruitless inquiries, that some one was 
discovered who had seen the old man go in the 
direction of the village where Plautius the vine- 
dresser lived. So a party of soldiers was sent 
with Herodes, one of the magistrates of the 
city, to arrest the old man. 

It was necessary, however, to find him first, 
and this did not prove an easy matter. One 
after another declared that neither Polycarp nor 
Plautius lived in that village, and the soldiers 


The Bursting of the Storm. 269 

grew tired and ill-tempered over their bootless 
errand. At length a little boy was seen play- 
ing near the gate of a large garden, and one of 
the soldiers beckoned him to come to him. 
Without the least fear the child came, and the 
man led him aside to a little copse near the road. 

“ Dost thou know any of the people called 
Christians about here.^” asked the man. 

“ Yes,” answered the boy, I am a Christian.” 

“ O, thou art ! art thou, my fine youngster } 
then we shall have thee, perhaps, to feed the 
beasts some day.” 

A faint color came into the child’s cheeks. 

My name is Cassius,” he said. Wilt thou 
let me go now,” for he suddenly remembered 
that his father had bidden him before he went 
away, never to talk to any stranger he might 
meet ; and Sisidona had repeated this charge 
only a few hours previously. And he burst 
into tears as he thought of this. 

“ So thou dost want to run away, my fine 
fellow ! Well, thou shalt go as soon as thou 
hast answered my questions. Thou knowest 
Polycarp, the wicked old bishop.^” 

Cassius’s eyes flashed indignantly, but he 
would not answer. 

'' Now I know thou canst tell me all about 
this old man,” said the soldier, giving him a 


2/0 


Flavia. 


shake, '‘so I mean to make thee. Dost thou 
understand ^ ” 

Still Cassius did not answer, although he was 
trembling in every limb. 

"Dost thou hear.J^ I will take thee off and 
give thee to the lion,’’ and this time the man 
struck him brutally. 

But although smarting with pain, the brave 
little fellow still kept his lips tightly closed. 

"Tell me where Polycarp is hiding, thou 
young traitor ! ” and this time the words were 
accompanied by a kick. The boy cried out 
with the pain, but he made no reply to this de- 
mand. Again and again was the question re- 
peated with oaths, and threats, and cruel blows, 
until at length the boy could not rise, but lay 
on the ground a mass of bruises and bleeding 
wounds, while still the brutal coward kept beat- 
ing him. 

At length, however, he was compelled to give 
up, for the child had either fainted or was dead. 
And he turned away with an oath to join his 
companions, when another child unfortunately 
fell in his way. 

With a blow and an oath he asked him the 
question he had little Cassius ; and he dragged 
him under the trees, and pointed to his pros- 
trate form. 


The Biers ting of the Storm. 271 

‘‘There, 1 will serve thee the same, if thou 
dost not show me where old Polycarp is hiding.” 

The boy trem.bled with horror and apprehen- 
sion as he gazed at the bleeding, prostrate 
form. “ I will show thee,” he said ; and he led 
the way to the pretty villa where Sisidona was 
even then watching at the lattice for Cassius to 
come in. 

The man released his hand as he silently 
looked at the house. “ Thou canst go now,” he 
said, “but don’t let me see thee again.” Here- 
upon the child ran away ; and the soldier in- 
formed his companions of the discovery he had 
made, which was received with every demon- 
stration of joy. 

The captain of the band ordered them to sur- 
round the house, to prevent the possibility of 
escape, while the magistrate went to secure the 
prisoner. 

Meanwhile Sisidona had grown anxious when 
the slaves came and told her that Cassius was 
not in the garden, and she was just issuing 
orders for a regular search to be made for him, 
when one of the slaves with a frightened face 
informed her the house was surrounded by sol- 
diers. At the same time the magistrate ap- 
peared in the vestibule, demanding that Poly- 
carp should be given np at once. 


2J2 


Fla VIA. 


On hearing the demand Sisidona stepped for- 
ward, and, drawing herself up to her full height, 
demanded by what authority he entered her 
house unbidden, in the absence of its master. 

I come to arrest Polycarp, and the whole 
nest of Christians who shelter the evil old bird,” 
answered the man insolently. 

I do not question thy right to arrest me,” 
said Sisidona, “ for I am a Christian, but thou 
hast no right to enter this house to search for 
every fugitive from Smyrna.” 

She hoped by detaining the man for a few 
minutes Polycarp would escape or conceal him- 
self ; but as soon as the old man heard what 
had happened, he came forward and gave him- 
self up. 

‘‘ The will of the Lord be done,” he said ; and 
turning to Sisidona, he begged that food might 
be set before his captors. 

While this meal was being eaten the bishop 
retired to his own room, and spent the time in 
prayer ; but Sisidona could think of nothing 
but the mysterious disappearance of Cassius. 
She had almost forgotten that she too was a 
prisoner, and would be carried off to Smyrna 
shortly, until the captain of the guard bade her 
get what she wanted to take with her to prison, 
as they would start at day-dawn. 


273 


The Burstijig of the Storm, 

A cold chill crept over her at that Avord 
‘‘prison.’' She, the proud, gently nurtured 
Roman maiden, shrank at the thought of this, 
and contact with the rude, rough soldiers now 
feasting in the atrium. But worse even than 
this was the having to leave home at such a 
time, especially as she had no knowledge of 
what had become of Cassius. It was well she 
did not know, or her sufferings would have been 
even greater than they were ; whereas now she 
could hope that the child would speedily return 
home. All night had the household been up in 
a state of alarm and agitation at the presence 
of the soldiers, who, after they had feasted, lay 
down to rest, before starting on their journey 
again. At sunrise, however, they were all 
aroused, and Polycarp was called ; for the cap- 
tain had determined to reach Smyrna with his 
prisoners before the heat of the day. 

The white-haired, noble-looking bishop was 
seated on an ass, and rode first, while Sisidona 
was carried in a close litter guarded by soldiers. 
She would not be taken before the proconsul at 
once, she heard, for Polycarp only had been 
ordered to appear. And so she was thrust into 
prison for that day, while the aged bishop went 
forward to confront his enemies alone. 

It was the last day of the games, and the 


274 


Flavia. 


people were growing impatient at the long de- 
lay; so that the proconsul’s tribunal had been 
set in the stadium, or amphitheater, that thou- 
sands might witness his trial — if trial it could 
be called, where a prisoner’s fate was virtually 
decided before his case was heard. 

At last the grand, noble old man was led in 
by the band of ruffianly soldiers, and a great 
shout was raised, as though some victory had 
been gained. The painted and perfumed ladies 
in their upper seats rustled their gay dresses 
and shook their fans ; the merchants, who had 
left their business to witness the trial of this 
disturber of the public peace, smiled ; but the 
most bitter of his enemies were the Jews, and 
they were not slow in showing their satisfaction 
at the proceedings. 

Perhaps the persons most disturbed in that 
vast assemblage were the proconsul himself, 
and his equity, who sat beside him. They had 
never seen Polycarp before, and were struck 
with the serene majesty of the grand old saint 
as he stood on the sand-strewn arena before 
them. Statius entreated him to regard his great 
age. Swear by the genius of Cesar and I will 
release thee, when thou hast denounced thy 
Christ,” said the proconsul. 

Polycarp raised his head and looked round* 


The Bursting of the Storm, 275 

upon that great multitude. “ Eighty and six 
years have I served him,” said the old man, 
nor hath he ever done me any wrong. Why 
then should I denounce my King and Saviour.?” 

At least,” said Statius, swear by the geni- 
us of the emperor.” 

But Polycarp slowly shook his head. '' Hear 
my confession,” he said ; I am a Christian ; 
and if thou wouldst know what that meaneth, 
appoint me a day and I will show thee.” 

Knowest thou that I have beasts to which 
I will cast thee if thou dost not yield.?” said 
the proconsul angrily. 

The old man’s bright face grew brighter at 
this threat, and his upright form seemed to rise 
into greater dignity. Seventy years had he 
been bishop in this city of Smyrna, and no one 
in all that multitude could charge him with un- 
faithfulness or self-seeking ; and now his course 
was almost run the promise-message sent by 
the mouth of his master and teacher, John, was 
about to be fulfilled : '' Be thou faithful unto 
death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” 
That crown was almost within view now ; and 
above the angry shouts of the multitude sounded 
the words of his promise, I will give thee a 
crown of life.” 

The proconsul, finding Polycarp was not to 


2/6 


Flavia. 


be either coaxed or frightened into denying his 
Lord, sent round a herald to proclaim, “ Poly- 
carp has confessed himself a Christian!” when 
the amphitheater rang with the cries of the ex- 
asperated multitude. “ The teacher of Asia ! ” 
shouted some. ''The father of Christians!” 
shrieked the Jews. " The enemy of the gods ! ” 
cried the merchants. "Away with him — with 
him who forbids to worship!” exclaimed the 
women. And then, at last, came the dreadful, 
ominous roar, " Polycarp . to the lions ! The 
beasts for Polycarp ! ” 

It was, however, the last day of the games, 
and the Asiarch, who had control of the sacred 
games, refused to break the rules at the cry of 
the mob. But they, not to be turned from their 
purpose of shedding the old man’s blood, at 
once instantly called, " Bring fire for Polycarp ! ” 
and many rushed from their seats — the Jews 
being particularly forward in this — to bring in 
fagots to make the necessary pile. They rushed 
to the nearest baths and shops for these, and so 
it was not long before the pile was ready. Poly- 
carp stood in his serene majesty, his eyes raised 
toward heaven, and his face beaming with joy, 
until all the hideous preparations were com- 
plete. Then he loosed his girdle and took off 
his sandals ; and his hands being tied behind 



The 


Death of Polycarp. 








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The Bursting of the Storm, 279 

him, he mounted the pile, and the fagots were 
lighted. 

Every shout and cry had subsided now, and 
that dense crowd could only watch with speech- 
less pleasure the smoke as it slowly curled up 
tow.ard heaven. But the silence was almost im- 
mediately broken by the voice of the martyr, 
as he broke forth into the communion thanks- 
giving he had so often used in the church close 
by, “Lord God Almighty, Father of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, thy blessed and beloved Son, 
through whom we have received the grace of 
knowing thee ; God of angels and heavenly 
powers ; God of all things created, and of the 
just who live in thy presence, I bless thee for 
having brought me to this hour, that I may be 
among thy martyrs, and drink of the cup of my 
Lord Jesus Christ, to rise to eternal life in the 
incorruption of the Holy Ghost. Receive me 
this day into thy presence together with them, 
being found in thy sight as a fair and acceptable 
sacrifice, prepared for thyself; that so thou may- 
est accomplish what thou, O true and faithful 
God, hast foreshown. Wherefore I praise thee 
for all thy mercies. I bless thee, I glorify thee, 
through the eternal high-priest Jesus Christ, thy 
beloved Son, with whom, to thyself and the Holy 
Ghost be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” 


28o 


Flavia. 


The flames had arisen from the light fagots 
of sweet-smelling wood, but they had been 
blown aside by the breeze, and so had not 
touched the aged martyr yet. The crowd were 
getting impatient now, for it seemed that the 
very elements were unwilling to injure him, 
and they angrily called for one of the attendants 
of the arena to kill the old man at once. A short 
sword was therefore plunged into his side, and 
the proconsul ordered the body to be burned. 
Then fashionable Smyrna went home to discuss 
what had happened ; and after dark a few Chris- 
tians crept to the arena and collected some of 
the martyr’s bones, and buried them on the hill- 
side, in the rosy dawn of Easter-day — a sad 
Easter to many hearts in Smyrna. 


All Unexpected Meeting. 


281 


CHAPTER XXI. 

AN UNEXPECTED MEETING. 

S ISIDONA was in such a whirl of perplexity 
concerning little Cassius that she scarcely 
realized the danger of her own position, until 
she found herself in the dungeon at Smyrna ; 
and then it was too late to devise any means for 
her own or her little nephew’s assistance, even 
if she could have thought of any thing. 

The idea of being brought before the tribune 
of the proconsul alone, without a friend to speak 
a word for her, was alarming enough, and Sisi- 
dona shrank from the publicity this would in- 
volve with a nervous horror that was almost 
overpowering. She might escape this disgrace, 
she was told, by sacrificing to the gods at once ; 
but she positively refused, and so she was led 
to where Statius Quadratus sat in state, at the 
upper end of the Forum. 

The proconsul looked annoyed when he 
heard the charge brought against her. The 
murder of Polycarp had been quite enough he 
thought, and he turned to speak to his equity 

upon the subject ; but the words were arrested 
18 


282 


Fla VI A. 


on his lips by the look of anguish and horror in 
the young man’s face. 

He looked in vain among the crowd for the 
cause of this, until his eye fell upon the pris- 
oner ; then he saw that her face was white, and 
scarcely less agitated, while her eyes were fixed 
upon the equity in a widely opened stare, that 
seemed to betoken unconsciousness rather than 
recognition. The crowd, however, did not seem 
to have noticed the strange looks of the lawyer, 
and Sisidona’s could easily be accounted for by 
her peculiar position. The proconsul saw this 
at once. 

Thy prisoner hath been frightened by some 
tale of yesterday’s tragedy,” he said, speaking 
to the captain of the guard. “ Take her back 
to prison,” he added, '' and bring her again to- 
morrow ; she will then be better able to answer 
the charges brought against her.” 

The crowd murmured a little against this, 
but they were obliged to submit, and Sisidona 
was taken back to prison, hardly conscious of 
where she was going until she got there. As 
soon, however, as she was left alone, she seemed 
to realize more fully than ever her trying posi- 
tion, and a dread fear that she would deny her 
Lord took possession of her mind. 

“I can never stand against this temptation; 


An Unexpected Meeting, 283 

my heart is too weak and treacherous. I shall 
disgrace the holy name by which I am called. 
O, my God and Father, take this cup from me 
or I shall perish,’' she pleaded in her agony of 
soul. 

Gradually, however, she grew more calm. 
The words of comfort spoken to Paul years 
before came to her mind with power, as applied 
by the Holy Spirit : My grace is sufficient 
for thee : for my strength is made perfect in 
weakness.” At last Sisidona could rest upon 
this, and feel that the battle she knew must be 
fought was not her’s but the Lord’s, and he 
would strengthen her for all before her. The 
conflict began sooner than she expected ; for a 
few hours afterward the door of the prison 
opened, and by the dim light that shone through 
the embrasure in the solid stone-wall she recog- 
nized the equity of the proconsul. 

In a moment she forgot all this — every thing, 
but that he stood before her, and with a low cry 
she rose and tottered toward him. 

He held out his arms and caught her, or she 
would have fallen to the ground. O, Sisidona, 
that I should find thee thus ! ” he gasped. 

“ Claudius, Claudius,” was all she could 
utter, and then she burst into a violent flood 
of tears. 


284 


Flavia. 


As soon as she had somewhat recovered, 
Claudius asked how long she had been in prison, 
the particular charge against her, and where 
Escalus was. 

The first and last questions were easy enough 
to answer ; but beyond the general charge of 
being a Christian, she knew not of what she 
was to be accused. 

“ Well, the matter can be very easily made 
right if thou art not too obstinate. The pro- 
consul hath agreed that if thou wilt sacrifice to 
the gods to-morrow, thou shalt be at once re- 
leased,” and then there followed a few whispered 
words, that brought the rosy color to Sisidona s 
pale cheeks. 

But the next minute she had withdrawn her- 
self from his protecting arm. No, no, Clau- 
dius, I can never be thy wife,” she said, '' any 
more than I can sacrifice to the gods ! ” 

Nay, nay ; but thou shalt follow this new 
superstition if thou wilt only go to the popular 
temples sometimes. Nay, Sisidona, I came into 
Asia on purpose to find thee and tell thee this 
— tell thee I am sorry for my harshness and 
hastiness. Wilt thou not forgive me, my Sisi- 
dona ? ” he pleaded. 

If I had aught to forgive I would ; but, 
Claudius, thou wast ever gentle and patient 


An Unexpected Meeting, 285 

with me. It is I who heed forgiveness of thee, 
but— but— ” 

“ Nay, nay ; say no more. We will not talk 
of this again — not until Escalus comes back 
from Rome; but say thou wilt scatter a handful 
of myrrh on the sacred tripod to-morrow and I 
shall be the happiest man in Smyrna ” 

But Sisidona shook her head. I dare not, 
cannot deny the Lord who brought me,” she 
said. 

We will not ask thee to denounce thy Christ, 
only worship the gods of Smyrna.” 

Which would be denying the Lord of 
heaven. Listen, Claudius, and let me tell 
thee of that sad, dark time, when I seemed to 
be left a friendless orphan, alone in the world.” 
She then went on to speak of her illness, and 
that time of sorrow in Ephesus when she first 
found the sweetness of the love of Christ. 

The equity was quite willing to listen as long 
as she liked to talk, if only she would at the end 
comply with his request. At'length he asked, 
‘‘ Dost thou know what will be the consequence 
of thy refusal to obey the proconsul ? ” 

A slight shudder shook the young lady's 
frame. They will throw me to the beasts, I 
suppose,” she said. 

The equity looked at her in astonishment. 


286 


Flavia. 


“ Hath death no more horror for thee than 
that ? ” he said. 

Nay ; I do not fear death, for Christ hath 
conquered it, and given us the victory too. 
The pains of death will soon be over, and there 
is an eternal weight of glory beyond. O, Clau- 
dius, if I could only see and know that thou 
wert seeking this Saviour, and to be made a 
partaker of this glory, I would gladly walk forth 
to the beasts at once,” she said, with clasped 
hands and glowing face. 

For a few minutes he could only look at her 
in silent wonder ; but at length he managed to 
say, ‘‘ Sisidona, thou speakest of the glory be- 
yond the arena for thyself, but what remains for 
me if thou art taken away ? ” 

Thou wilt seek to follow me, even as I have 
tried to follow Christ ; only thou wilt be a better, 
braver Christian than I could ever be,” said 
Sisidona gently. 

“ What ! embrace this Christianity after it 
hath robbed me-of all I hold dear.^^ Never, Sisi-. 
dona, it is impossible.” 

Nay, nay ; say not so ; for I have prayed to 
God for this very thing, and to him all things 
are possible.” 

But Claudius only shook his head. I shall 
pray to the gods to break thy obstinacy,” he 


A 7 i Unexpected Meeting. 287 

said ; and then, if thou dost sacrifice to the 
gods once, thou mayest be released, and we 
will return to Rome, where no one will dare 
to interfere, even if thou dost go to that miser- 
able church in the Catacombs I have heard 
about.” 

To go to the despised Christian Church 
seemed the height of human folly to Claudius 
now. Would he always think the same } would 
the name of Jesus always be despised and 
hated } Sisidona asked herself this question 
again and again after he left her, for it seemed 
that he hated the truth more and more, since 
it had brought her into trouble. 

She had time to think of this, and many 
other things during the hours of the day and 
night, as they again slowly dragged themselves 
along. How often she had longed to see Clau- 
dius once more, to tell him what a mistake they 
had all made in supposing this Christianity was 
an unholy and impure faith ; how she had 
yearned to tell him of the love of Christ, that 
had satisfied even her heart, with its multiplied 
wants and aspirations. And now he had come^ 
she did not feel that she could speak a word. 
She had tried to explain something of this, it i^ 
true, but her words had been poor and unin? 
teresting, she thought — not at all ^s though she 


288 


Flavia. 


deemed it of the importance she did ; and, 
thoroughly dissatisfied with herself, Sisidona 
could only pray that Claudius might be enlight- 
ened by some other means, since it seemed 
impossible that she could do her duty in this 
matter. 

Just before the daylight had quite faded the 
jailer brought her a letter. The waxen tablets 
were bound together by a silken cord, and tied 
in the fashion Claudius always adopted. With 
trembling fingers she untied this, and read the 
few words written within : — 

“ Claudius to Sisidona, greeting. The pro- 
consul hath determined to conduct thy trial in 
private, so that the submission required of thee 
will be slight — only sufficient to warrant the 
sending forth a herald to proclaim that thou 
hast sacrificed to the gods. Thou wilt, there- 
fore, hold thyself in readiness to perform this 
slight service, and return home, for the sake of 

Claudius.” 

Sisidona sat and gazed at the waxen tablets 
long after the fading daylight had prevented all 
recognition of the beloved characters engraved 
upon them, while a fierce struggle went on in 
her breast. Should she yield to this tempta- 


An Unexpected Meeting, 289 

tion ? It seemed sometimes that she must ; 
but at length came the word of promise again, 
‘‘ My strength is sufficient for thee.” With this 
to rest upon, she was at length able to go to 
sleep, and she did not awake until summoned 
to go to the Forum the next morning. 

The proconsul received her graciously — even 
kindly, and warned her with great tenderness 
against the danger of learning to follow obsti- 
nate atheists, like Polycarp, whose life had been 
taken for his misdeeds. 

It was the first time Sisidona had heard the 
fate of the gentle bishop, and she visibly started 
as it was mentioned now. The proconsul fol- 
lowed up the advantage he thought he had 
gained by ordering the spices to be brought at 
once, that Sisidona might scatter them on the 
sacred fire. But they held them in vain to- 
ward her. 

I cannot forsake the Lord my God by burn- 
ing incense to demons,” said Sisidona. 

“ Denounce thy Christ, then, and thou shalt 
be released,” said the proconsul ; and Claudius 
looked at her with a white, pleading face, that 
was harder to resist than the persuasions of the 
proconsul. But to both Sisidona could only 
give what seemed a hard, unfeeling denial ; and 
when she had done this she covered her face 


290 


Flavia. 


with her hands, and groaned in the agony of 
her spirit. 

After a short consultation she was ordered to 
be taken back to prison, and in a few hours 
Claudius visited her again. Every temptation 
that could be thought of was placed before her 
to induce her to yield, but without effect, until 
at last she said, '' O, Claudius, do not tempt 
me further, and do not ask me to explain my 
faith again. I cannot talk worthily of the great 
theme, but I can die for it.'’ 

“ Nay, nay ; but, Sisidona, I must see thee 
as often as possible ; but I promise not to ask 
thee to forsake thy religion again. Is there any 
thing I can do for thee ; no message I can take 
to thy friends ? ” 

“Yes, indeed, if thou wilt, I should be glad 
to know whether Cassius hath been found, and 
how Plautius and the household are faring since 
my absence;” and having directed Claudius 
how to find the house, she requested him to 
wait a few minutes, while she wrote some 
messages to be delivered to Irene, the wdfe of 
Plautius, w^ho would hand them to their proper 
owners. 

She then took her waxen tablets, and sepa- 
rating them wrote, or rather drew, the figures 
of two fishes upon several. Then upon others 


An Unexpected Meeting. 291 

she drew a circle, with a cross in the center, 
and the first and last letters of the Greek alpha- 
bet, while Claudius sat and watched her. 

‘‘Why art thou doing this.^’' he asked at 
length. 

“ It may be my last message to these friends,” 
she said, “and I would fain assure them that I 
die in the faith of Christ, and likewise would 
give them something whereby their own faith 
may be strengthened. No one understands 
these signs but Christians ; therefore, we can 
send messages in this way, without fear of dis- 
covery by our enemies.” 

“ But thou wilt explain them to me, my Sisi- 
dona,” said Claudius anxiously. 

She looked doubtful as to the wisdom of do- 
ing this, but his next words assured her she 
might safely trust him. “ These signs shall 
be as sacred to me as to thee, Sisidona,” he 
said ; “ as sacred as thou thyself art to me. 
These fishes, what will they tell to thy fellow- 
Christians U 

“This is the message they will carry, ‘Jesus 
Christ, God’s Son, the Saviour,’ because the in- 
itial letters of these words form one Greek word 
for fish,” answered the lady. 

“And this with the circle and the cross.?” 
asked Claudius. 


292 


Flavia. 


The circle represents eternity, and the cross 
inside showeth that the cross of Christ saveth 
to all eternity,” she said. 

And the Greek letters alpha and omega ? ” 

'‘Jesus Christ, the first and the last, the be- 
ginning and the end. Thou seest the persecu- 
tions have compelled the Christians to adopt 
signs in writing, or they could never send mes- 
sages to each other without discovery, when 
discovery would be dangerous.” 

"No one shall discover these or see them, 
until I place them in the hands of this vine- 
dresser's wife,” said Claudius as he took them ; 
and with a sad farewell he took his departure, 
and went at once in search of Escalus's house. 

The slaves he found were like a frightened 
flock of sheep ; but by degrees he made them 
understand that, although he came from Smyr- 
na, it was on a friendly errand, and at once 
asked for the children, and where they had 
found little Cassius. 

" We found him, indeed, noble Claudius, but 
it was only to bring him home to die,” said one 
of the slaves, dashing the tears from his eyes 
as he spoke. 

" Was he ill, then, or had he met with an ac- 
cident.^” asked Claudius in alarm. 

" He had been beaten — beaten to death be- 


Aft Unexpected Meeting. 


293 


cause he would not betray our good bishop, 
Polycarp. Another boy of the village hath told 
us all about it since;” and the slave fairly 
broke down at the recollection of that tale of 
horror. 

The slaves led Claudius to the little white 
draped chamber, where the body of the mur- 
dered boy lay, and Claudius himself broke down, 
Roman as he was, at the sight of that fair young 
form all cut, and gashed, and disfigured with 
bruises. The household were at a loss to know 
what to do with the body, for every relative was 
away, and Claudius could only suggest that he 
should be laid in a temporary grave in the 
coolest part of the garden until his father re- 
turned, when it could be burned with all the 
customary honors. 

Claudius then called for Irene, and was di- 
rected to a small cottage standing in a corner 
of the garden. Plautius had been ill ever since 
the arrest of Polycarp and Sisidona, he was told, 
and so he was not surprised to see Irene in 
tears as she opened the door. That he had 
just left Sisidona, and brought a written mes- 
sage from her, was quite enough, however, to 
secure him a welcome ; and so he was soon 
standing by the dying bed, for Plautius was 
slowly dying, not of any disease to which a 


294 


Flavia. 


name could be given, but from the effects of 
that long imprisonment that had sapped the 
springs of his life. 

Plautius, here is a message from the noble 
Sisidona» who is still in prison,” said his wife, 
leaning over him as he lay. 

He slowly opened his eyes and looked at her. 
‘‘Tell me she hath not denied her Lord,” he 
whispered feebly. 

“ Look,” said Irene, and she held one of the 
tablets before him and read its translation. 

“ She will die for her faith,” said Claudius 
sadly. 

“The Lord be praised. The love of Christ 
is worth a thousand lives, if we had them all to 
give,” said Plautius, with astonishing energy. 
It was his last effort — the last words he spoke. 
He uttered a faint moan a few minutes after- 
ward, and then his ransomed spirit took its 
flight to that land where there is no dying. 


Conclusion. 


29s 


CHAPTER XXII. 

CONCLUSION. 

C LAUDIUS RUFUS was pacing up and 
down the atrium of the proconsul’s house 
at Smyrna, impatiently waiting for an audience, 
and brooding the while over no very pleasant 
thoughts, as it seemed ; for his brows were knit, 
and his fist clenched involuntarily, as he passed 
up and down. 

In a few minutes the slave drew the curtain 
at the further end of the hall, and admitted him 
to the peristyle, where the proconsul met him 
and asked eagerly, Hast thou succeeded, 
Claudius } ” 

The equity shook his head. '' I never shall 
induce her to give up her faith,” he said. 

The proconsul looked vexed. Then nothing 
can save her from the beasts at the next games. 
Has she heard of the death of these Christians ? ” 
he asked. 

‘‘ Yes ; and I have told her now of the ruf- 
fians beating little Cassius to death, for she 
questioned me so closely concerning the child 
that I could not keep it from her any longer. 


296 


Flavia. 


I wish Escalus had returned from Rome,” added 
Claudius, with a sigh. 

'' I wish he had, and would leave this Chris- 
tianity behind him,” said the proconsul. “ Why 
men can^t leave it alone, when they see it 
brings nothing but trouble, I cannot tell. If it 
were not for this Christianity Escalus might 
now have been the proconsul of Asia, for he 
stood high in the emperor’s favor, I know.” 

'' Thou hast no reason to complain, then, of 
Escalus, since thou hast succeeded to what 
should have been his seat,” said Claudius. 

‘‘ Most true ; but it does not make the folly 
of thy friend the less. Now look at him — he has 
had to forfeit the favor of Marcus Aurelius ; see 
all his plans for advancement cut off ; sink into 
obscurity, when he might have commanded the 
highest honors in Asia, and tarnish the honor- 
able name of his ancestors by being called Chris- 
tian'; and for what does he barter all this } What 
does he gain by it ? ” 

The question of the proconsul beat its refrain 
through the mind of Claudius until he could 
think of nothing else. What was to be gained, 
to be achieved by this new faith, that seemed 
to be turning the world upside down ? Certain- 
ly Escalus had not been given to wild* brained 
enthusiasm about any thing, unless it was in 


Conchtsion. 


297 


his devotion to the emperor, until this Chris- 
tianity seized him ; and as for Sisidona, it 
seemed at one time that nothing could stem 
the current of her pride, ambition, and extrava- 
gance. Her hair had glittered, with the abun- 
dance of the gold-dust in its coils, more 
brilliantly than any other Roman maiden in 
Faustinas court, and now it seemed that she 
had not only given up the use of this, but could 
make herself happier within the bare prison 
walls than she was in the palace, surrounded by 
every pomp and luxury that she could desire, 
or that could gratify the most exacting taste. 
And what was the gain for all this loss } for 
gain there must be, or Sisidona; would not have 
been singing, as she was the last time he went 
to her, and looking as happy as she had often 
looked restless in those old days of pomp and 
splendor. 

This question puzzled Claudius more than 
he cared to own, even to himself ; and before 
the day was over, he found himself at the prison 
once more, not to torture Sisidona with per- 
suasions to forsake her Lord and Master, but 
to ask in a humble, teachable spirit what the 
secret of this new faith could be. 

Sisidona was not wholly unprepared for this, 
for Claudius had asked many questions lately 
19 


2gS 


Flavia. 


that had indicated a growing interest in this 
matter ; but, mistrusting her own ability to 
impart this wonderful news of salvation, she 
lent him her precious parchment roll, con- 
taining the Gospel of St. John, which he 
took home with him and promised to study 
carefully. 

And thus some weeks slipped away ; the 
proconsul vainly hoping that the outcry against 
the Christians would grow less fierce, and Sisi- 
dona praying that Claudius might, if it were 
possible, be spared the pain of seeing her suffer. 
He had ceased to urge her to sacrifice to the gods, 
for he himself had given up the worship of 
these dumb idols now, and would have boldly 
declared it and shared Sisidona’s punishment, 
but that she begged him not to rush headlong- 
into this, until called upon by God to suffer 
thus for his sake. Another thing — she wished 
him to break the tidings of little Cassius’ cruel 
death to Escalus and Flavia as gently as might 
be, for the slaves would have little discretion in 
doing this, she knew, and the news would be 
heavy enough and sorrowful enough, however it 
might be lightened in the telling. So Claudius 
promised to watch the arrival of every vessel 
from Rome, to meet his old friend at the 
harbor ; and that he might not be absent at 


Coiichision, 


299 


this time, he begged the proconsul to take a 
deputy in his place when he returned to 
Ephesus. 

Statius looked uneasy. “I know not that a 
deputy can be obtained, Claudius,” he said, and 
then added, “ thou wilt be better away from 
Smyrna at this time.” 

“ Better away from Smyrna ! ” repeated 
Claudius ; and then he was seized as with an 
ague. 

Dost thou mean that — that Sisidona is to 
sulfer T he asked in a low, hoarse whisper. 

‘‘ I have been obliged to yield to the demands 
of these clamorous Jewish merchants,” answered 
the proconsul, turning away as if to avoid the 
discussion of an unpleasant subject. 

But Claudius arrested him with another ques- 
tion before he had left the atrium. One other 
word,” he said ; “ does she know this } ” 

“ I gave orders that she should hold herself 
in readiness for the forthcoming games in 
honor of Rhea,” answered the proconsul. 

It is well ! We will both be in readiness,” 
said Claudius, with forced calmness. 

Will be in readiness ! ” repeated the pro- 
consul. Thou dost not mean that thou wilt 
throw thy life away for this obstinate damsel } ” 

Nay, I shall not throw my life away, but give 


300 


Flavia. 


it for the truth I have learned from Sisidona’s 
lips ; for I, too, am a Christian/’ 

“ Say thou art a madman, and it will be nearer 
the truth,” answered the proconsul ; but Clau- 
dius did not hear these words, for he had rushed 
from the house and was on his way to the 
prison. He was going to comfort Sisidona, as 
he said ; but it was rather to receive than to give 
comfort, for at the sight of her calm composure 
all his strength and courage failed him, and for 
a few minutes he could only bow his head and 
weep bitter tears of agony. 

“ Sisidona, thou must grant me my last re- 
quest,” he managed to say at last. “ I believe in 
Christ as my Saviour, and I will die with thee 
for his truth.” 

But Sisidona shook her head. ‘‘ Nay, nay,” 
she said, ^^but thou must live for the truth; 
thou art not called to die for it yet.” 

‘‘ But thou must die, my Sisidona,” and he 
shuddered as he spoke. 

She bowed her head. ‘‘ God can make dying 
easier than living.” 

“ The pains of death at least will be short, and 
I cannot live without thee,” said Claudius. 

“ Thus thou wouldst die for me — commit self- 
murder, and call it d}^ing for the truth. Nay, 
nay, my Claudius, it must not be ; God will give 


Co 7 lclusi 07 U 


301 


thee grace to live, even as he gives me strength 
to die ; for I have sometimes trembled at the 
thought of death, even since I have known the 
sting is taken away.” 

“And thou art not afraid now.? ” asked Clau- 
dius. 

“ Afraid ! ” said Sisidona. “ Thinkest thou 
I should be afraid to travel to Rome to meet 
thee .? And this death is but a shorter jour- 
ney, and the dear friend waiting to welcome 
me is Christ himself I often wished I could 
conquer the fear of death, Claudius, but I see 
now that God does not give us dying grace to 
live with, for we do not need it ; and so, as he 
supplies me with just the strength I need to 
die, he will give thee all that thou needest to 
live.” 

In vain Claudius pleaded that many had 
given themselves up to die for the truth, and 
that the steadfastness of the martyrs encour- 
aged others to persevere. Sisidona would not 
yield even a reluctant consent to this self-im- 
molation, and at length Claudius was obliged 
to promise that he would not accuse himself, 
or do any thing rashly, but patiently abide 
by the advice of Escalus and Flavia, whatever 
that might be. 

The day for the citizens of Smyrna to assemble 


302 


Flavia. 


in the amphitheater once more came all too 
soon for Claudius. Escalus had not arrived, 
but a vessel from Rome was expected almost 
hourly, and Claudius had begged in vain that 
the games might be postponed until its arrival. 
The proconsul smiled as he might at the whim 
of a frantic child, and asked what good it would 
do ? whereas it might cause a riot to put off 
the festival of the goddess. This was too true, 
as Claudius knew well enough, and yet, like a 
drowning man, ready to catch at a straw, he 
cheated himself with the hope that if Escalus 
could only reach the city in time he might save 
Sisidona yet. 

He was, indeed, like a frantic child, until that 
last visit to Sisidona — not in the prison where 
she had hitherto been confined, but in a small 
cell under the arena, and within sound of the 
yells and roars of the savage beasts and more 
savage men. 

‘‘I am glad thou hast come, Claudius,” said 
Sisidona, taking his hand as he entered. “ I 
want thee to give me up entirely to God ; that 
is what he asks thee to do for him now,” she 
added. 

“ Sisidona, it is too much ; I cannot do it. 
If it was my life now — if I could take thy place, 
I could bear it ; but to give thee to such a 


Conclusion. 


303 

death !” and he covered his face with his hands 
and bravely stifled his emotion. 

And yet, my Claudius, God hath done more 
for thee. Think of it. He gave up his only 
Son to the slow agony of thirty years’ living 
with sinners, and then had to shroud his om- 
nipotence, and see him die an excruciating 
death for the sake of those who were crying, 
' Crucify him ! crucify him ! ’ Thinkest thou 
that Christ cannot sympathize with thee in this 
sorrow, when he, too, had to bear the separation 
from his Father, that was keener pain than the 
thorns or nails could inflict.^ My Claudius, 
think of all he endured for thy salvation, and 
then from thy love to him thou wilt be able to 
give me up.” 

Together they kneeled on the damp, cold 
floor, but it was Sisidona who pleaded with 
God for this grace for Claudius — grace for him 
to live submissively to God’s will. For her 
sister and Escalus she prayed, too ; and then, as 
she rose from her knees, she begged that Clau- 
dius should go at once to the harbor and await 
the coming of the vessel, lest her sister should 
hear too abruptly of her own death. 

At first Claudius was unwilling to do this, 
but Sisidona appeared greatly disturbed at his 
refusal. I cannot tell thee why I wish it so 


304 


Flavia. 


much, my Claudius,’’ she said, ‘^but of this I 
am sure, a great calamity will be prevented if 
thou dost reach the vessel as soon as possible.” 

Then I will go, my Sisidona, and the Lord 
be with thee until my return, for I shall certain- 
ly see thee again,” he added. 

Sisidona shook her head as the door closed 
behind him, and then, fearing lest the sounds 
from the arena should daunt her. she gave 
herself up to prayer, not only for herself but for 
those whose lives would be shadowed b}^ a great 
sorrow to the grave, that God would help and 
teach them how to live. Meanwhile Claudius 
had mounted his chariot, and driven at the top 
of his speed away from the sights and sounds 
of the festive games. A party of wrestlers 
were entering the street leading to the amphi- 
theater, looking eager and expectant, and he 
thought with horror, •that when their contest 
was over, and the leafy crown placed on the 
victor’s brow, his beloved Sisidona would be in 
the cruel grasp of the lion, and the sand that 
they would trample and scatter in their mock 
conflict would be dabbled and stained with her 
blood. The thought was agonizing, and he 
lashed his horses into a more furious gallop, 
and kept them at this pace until the harbor was 
reached, and he was obliged to alight. Giving 


Concbision, 


30s 


them into the charge of his slave, he went to 
inquire for the imperial galley that was ex- 
pected to make the port shortly. 

The vessel was here already he was told, out- 
side the harbor waiting for the breeze to spring 
up and bring her in. Weary of nothing so 
much as inaction, and anxious to discover 
whether Escalus was on board, he drew out a 
handful of sesterces and offered them to the 
first boatman he saw, to row him to the galley. 
The man needed no second bidding for such a 
reward, and a few minutes afterward he was 
shouting to the shipmaster, demanding to know 
the news in the name of the proconsul. 

On hearing this, a herald stepped forward 
bearing the imperial arms and holding up a 
formidable-looking packet. '' I am the bearer of 
an edict from Marcus Aurelius, tribune of the 
people and emperor, to Statius Quadratus, pro- 
consul of Asia,” he said. 

^'What is this edict asked Claudius. 

“To stop the persecution of the Christians,” 
said another voice, and Melito, the bishop of 
Sardis, looked over the side. 

But Claudius did not heed who the speaker 
might be. “ Get down into this boat and come 
with me, if thou wouldst deliver the message 
of the emperor ere it be too late,” he said. 


3c6 


Flavia. 


“They are even now in the amphitheater, and 
we may not be in time.” And at that thought 
huge drops of perspiration bedewed his brow 
as he helped the herald to descend. 

To row to the shore and jump into his char- 
iot, which was still waiting, was the work of a 
very few minutes. He neither saw nor heard 
Escalus and Flavia calling to him ; he was deaf 
to every thing ; oblivious of every thing, but 
that life and death rested in the hand of the 
man he was bearing to the amphitheater, and 
they might be too late even now. 

Heedless of every impediment, Claudius urged 
his horses to their utmost speed, and kept them 
at it. Quiet citizens sitting in their little can- 
vas booths in the street might call to him to 
draw rein, or his chariot would be dashed to 
pieces and the horses killed. What did he 
care for horses or chariots with Sisidona’s life 
at stake ? On he dashed, until the private door 
of the amphitheater, leading to the proconsul’s 
box, was reached. His position as equity se- 
cured his entrance here, and as the door closed 
behind him a dull roar, that seemed to shake 
the very building, betokened that there was 
some change in the sports ; and Claudius grew 
white with horror, as he thought it might be 
Sisidona brought to confront the lion. 


CGHclusion. 


307 


Bidding the herald keep close behind him, 
he rushed along the narrow passage and mount- 
ed the stairs close at the proconsul’s elbow, 
while right before him stood Sisidona. 

Sick, faint, giddy, he almost reeled at the 
sight, while the proconsul asked, “Wilt thou 
sacrifice to the gods even now ? ” 

“ Hold ! ” thundered Claudius before Sisidona 
could reply, and he thrust forward the messen- 
ger of the emperor, who instantly handed the 
huge parchment, with its ponderous seals, to the 
proconsul. 

“ Citizens of Smyrna, ye see with what haste 
this messenger hath come from Rome, to bring 
this word of command from your emperor ; it 
is meet, therefore, that ye should new hear 
what this word is : — 

“ ‘ The emperor, Cesar Marcus Aurelius An- 
toninus Augustus, supreme pontiff for the fif- 
teenth time, tribune of the people for the third 
time, consul to the commonwealth of Asia, 
greeting. I know that the gods themselves 
take care that these persons shall not remain 
concealed, for it is more their interest than 
yours to punish such as refuse to adore them. 
By bringing these men into trouble you strength- 
en their opinion of you, when they accuse you 
of impiety. Many governors of provinces wrote 


3o8 


Fla VI A. 


to my divine father respecting these people, 
and he forbade them to molest them, unless 
they should appear to attempt any thing against 
the Roman empire. Many likewise have writ- 
ten to me, and I answered them according to 
my fathers intention. Should any fresh ac- 
cusation be brought against a Christian, let the 
accused be sent away pardoned, even though 
he be convicted, and let there be an action 
against the delator.’ ” 

To describe the effect these words had upon 
that vast assemblage would be impossible. Like 
wolves cheated of their prey, they uttered one 
long, low growl when they saw Sisidona taken 
back to her cell unhurt ; but beyond this they 
dared not go. 

Claudius could hardly wait to answer the 
questions of the proconsul in his haste to reach 
Sisidona once more, for he knew that this sud- 
den rescue would overcome her more even than 
her impending danger had done, and he was 
likewise anxious to ascertain whether Escalus 
and Flavia were on board the imperial galley. 

The latter question was answered more speed- 
ily than he expected, for Escalus presented him- 
self at the door of Sisidona’s cell shortly after 
he himself had arrived. Over that meeting we 
will draw a vail, for there were tidings of the 


Conclusion, 


309 


deepest sorrow, as well as the holiest joy, to be 
imparted ; for, while Sisidona had been snatched 
from the jaws of death, and they could rejoice 
with thanksgiving for this, the family circle was 
not complete, and Escalus and Flavia would 
sorely miss the welcome of their lovely, noble 
boy, whose baby brow was wreathed with the 
martyr’s crown in the heavenly kingdom. The 
loss of Polycarp and their humble friend. Plan- 
tins, likewise added to their weight of sorrow, 
and at length they decided to leave Asia and 
return to the valley of Aricia, taking the wid- 
owed Irene with them. 

Nerissa accompanied her sister, for she had 
proved beyond question that her departure from 
the simplicity of the truth as it is in Jesus had 
been deeply and truly repented of, and the 
widow clung to her in her sorrow more closely 
than ever, so that not only Flavia, but Fscalus 
himself, promised to help her in assisting her 
sister to gain a livelihood at the work of weaving, 
and likewise to recommend her for re-admission 
into the Christian Church — a privilege she had 
forfeited by joining in the service of Samba- 
tha. In this particular Sisidona’s word of rec- 
ommendation would be as a law to the Church, 
for, having barely escaped martyrdom, she had 
secured the privilege, so often abused afterward. 


310 


Flavia, 


of recommending those who had lapsed or 
fallen away to be received again, on her giving 
them a testimonial of fraternal love. This she 
readily gave Nerissa, and so there would be 
little difficulty in gaining re-admission to the 
Church at Rome, and the poor girl grew more 
hopeful and cheerful as the time for their 
departure drew near. 

As Christians, all public offices were closed 
to Escalus and Claudius ; but to be able to live 
in peace and retirement was an unspeakable 
mercy, and this was granted to them, for no 
active persecution against the Christians was 
permitted in Rome during the remainder of 
the reign of Marcus Aurelius, although in other 
parts of the empire there were frequent out- 
breaks of popular fury against these oppressed 
people. But in each of these as they arose the 
Christians proved themselves faithful and true 
— loyal unto death — loyal unto the end. 

And what shall 1 more say, for the time would 
fail me to tell of those who through faith sub- 
dued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained 
promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched 
the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the 
sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed 
valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the 
aliens. Women received their dead raised to 


Conclusion, 


311 

life again : and others were tortured, not accept- 
ing deliverance ; that they might obtain a bet- 
ter resurrection : and others had trial of cruel 
mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds 
and imprisonment : they were stoned, they were 
sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with 
the sword : they wandered about in sheepskins 
and goatskins ; being destitute, afflicted, tor- 
mented ; of whom the world was not worthy : 
they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, 
and in dens and caves of the earth. And these 
all, having obtained a good report through faith, 
received not the promise : God having provided 
some better thing for us, that they without us 
should not be made perfect. Wherefore, seeing 
we also are compassed about with so great a 
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, 
and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and 
let us run with patience the race that is set 
before us, looking unto Jesus the author and 
finisher of our faith.” 


THE END. 





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